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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23406817">Growing Pains</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/KP_Suan/pseuds/KP_Suan'>KP_Suan</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fairy Tail</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Anal Sex, Angst, Attempt at Humor, Cunnilingus, Developing Relationship, Eventual Smut, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Idiots in Love, Light Angst, Mating, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Post-Canon, Relationship(s), Romance, Sexual Content, Size Kink, Vaginal Sex</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 07:21:38</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>27,569</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23406817</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/KP_Suan/pseuds/KP_Suan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Those 7 years on Tenrou were starting to catch up with Natsu. He was having...urges for his best friend and trying to tamp them down. While Lucy was freakin' fed up with the oblivious dragon slayer. What did a girl have to do to get his attention? Present herself half-naked? On second thought... No, she'd tried that one already. Post-cannon. Nalu.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Levy McGarden/Gajeel Redfox, Natsu Dragneel/Lucy Heartfilia</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>42</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>457</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Headache</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter One</p><p>April 794</p><p>A year into their Century Quest, Lucy started to notice small but powerful changes in her partner and fellow teammate, Natsu. To anyone else those changes wouldn’t have garnered much attention but to her, they were drastic steps away from her dragon slayer’s personality. </p><p>The first one came in the form of the man’s eating habits. Natsu was known for putting away enough food in the amount of his body weight twice over. But for some reason, that spring, his appetite had taken a noticeable dive. What made it concern, was the fact that he started giving his share to her! Natsu. Giving food. AWAY! It was inconceivable but still only mildly worrying. It’s not like he stopped eating a lot, he just started making sure that they were all fed. He even made it a point to watch her eat, in what she was sure he thought were surreptitious glances. After she was done, he’d flash her his patented full toothed grin and for all purposes looked like the cat that got the cream.</p><p>Present</p><p>After returning from their quest Natsu’s new little habits took a back burner to the all the craziness that was constantly happening inside of Fairy Tail. If anyone else noticed, they didn’t say and that was enough to make Lucy believe that maybe she was just overreacting or that maybe Natsu was just growing as a person and so his capacity for serious had increased. The thought made her snort in disbelief. In any case, she put the weirdness out of her mind as she strolled into the guildhall.</p><p>A beaming smile crossed her lips at the sight of one of her closest friends, Levy, sitting beside a forever scowling iron dragon slayer, and waving to her madly. As she approached the table, the celestial mage couldn’t help but wonder about those two. They still didn’t have a concrete relationship status, but she was pretty sure that Gajeel leveled the last sucker whose eyes strayed to Levy’s ass for too long. As far as she knew, no steps had been taken to make them official, much to her friend’s frustration. Apparently, something was holding the slayer back from claiming his woman, but he wouldn’t say what. </p><p>Their situation was confusing to say the least but at least they had a situation. Her mouth twisted into a shadow of a frown as she thought of her own nonexistent situation with a certain pink-haired dragon slayer. Natsu had the emotional capacity of a 10-year-old, where romantic (not to mention sexual) relationships were concerned. None of her efforts to seduce or talk to him about it had yielded any fruit. </p><p>Just last week she’d gone to bed in a sheer baby doll that barely covered her ass and had her nipples lewdly imprinted on the material. Her panties were a matching pink, barely-there lace piece, the cut designed to favorably shape what little of her lower ass cheeks that were visible. Her intention was to surprise him with that vision of sexiness and declare her intentions when he inevitably broke into her place to eat her out of house and home. He’d come in while she was preparing to slide into bed, Happy mysteriously absent as he was wont to do these days. And for a moment she’d thought that her plan to catch his eye had worked, as his gaze roved over her body. She’d smiled sweetly as his eyes met hers.</p><p>“What the hell are you wearing, Lucy?”</p><p>Her face and spirits had promptly fallen as he quirked a confused eyebrow.</p><p>“Won’t you get cold in that? Doesn’t really matter I guess; I breathe fire so I’m pretty hot. I’ll keep you warm.”</p><p>His words, while sensual in content, had lacked the necessary to heat to indicate that he had any interest at all. Instead he’d sounded almost resolved and annoyed as he scratched at his thick skull and wandered off into her kitchen to steal her food.</p><p>“Got anything to eat?”</p><p>How embarrassing.</p><p>Not to mention all the times before that where she’d dressed up for him or tried to get him alone on a mission, or that one time she’d shown up at his house to cook for him. Sure, he was appreciative but not in the way she wanted him to be. He responded the way he did to everything- in a typical Natsu way- with a bright grin and a Thanks Luce! You’re the best! All of which did wonderful things for her ego but nothing for her slowly withering heart. The celestial mage was coming to accept that Natsu just wasn’t the type to care about anything but food, family and fighting, and he probably never would be. </p><p>The busty blonde bombshell had failed so epically at trying to entice the young man that she’d begun to question her own sexual appeal. It was hard to not notice that Natsu had gotten even more handsome over the years. He’d shot up several inches in the last year alone and his wild pink hair had gotten even wilder. But instead of taking on the bird’s nest look, he just constantly looked like he’d just rolled out of bed after a week-long sex marathon. It was so effortlessly alluring. More and more women started noticing when he was around. His presence just filled up any space entirely. It also helped that he was pretty much famous after the grand magic games.</p><p>Strength, good looks, and loyal to fault, she was understandably questioning if she was even in Natsu’s league. Sure, she was pretty. People told her that all time. She, apparently, had a cute face and a body that ‘wouldn’t quit’. But what did all that matter if the one guy she liked had zero interest in her that way. Just thinking about it was equally frustrating and exhausting.</p><p>Lucy realized with a jolt that she’d stopped in the middle of her trek to Levy’s table to daydream over the oblivious fire dragon slayer. She brushed off the distraction of those thoughts and continued to her friend.</p><p>“Hey Levy!”</p><p>“Lucy!” the petite bluenette popped up from her seat to throw her arms around the taller girl. Lucy returned the hug with just as much vigor and took a seat across from the not-couple.</p><p>“Hey Gajeel,” she greeted the iron dragon slayer a bit more reservedly.</p><p>“Sup Blondie.” She wasn’t very fond of the nick name but learned years ago that Gajeel, like Natsu, wasn’t very good with names and while she was sure that he knew hers by now, once they dubbed you thus, you had better work with it for the sake of your own sanity. It was both rude and strangely endearing. Come to think of it, the only polite Dragon Slayer she knew was Wendy. Huh. </p><p>She’s distracted from her minor displeasure by Levy’s palpable excitement.</p><p>“I finished reading your manuscript for Adventures of Iris Book 2 and I have to say, I see another Kemu Zaleon award in your future,” she practically bounced on the spot, Gajeel nonchalantly throwing an arm over her shoulders to pin her in place. The solid script mage went pink for a moment but sat still.<br/>
Gajeel didn’t move his arm.</p><p>Damn, they were cute.</p><p>“Thanks Levy. I still need to do some minor editing, grammar and spell checks, stuff like that”</p><p>They went on to discuss foreshadowing techniques and Iris’ growth as a character in enthusiastic animated gestures and expressions.</p><p>Apparently seeking reprieve from their ‘nerdiness’, Gajeel stood. </p><p>“Need anything shrimp? I’m heading over to the bar,” Cheeks still pinked in delight, Levy responded with a sweet, “Thanks Gajeel, the usual please”</p><p>He turned his head in Lucy’s direction, “Blondie?”</p><p>A little shocked at his gentlemanly gesture, Lucy sat dumbstruck for a few seconds, “Who, me?”</p><p>“No, the blonde leprechaun on your shoulder,” he responded without any real bite. It might’ve been because of the slight tinge of pink across his cheeks. Lucy gave him a proud<br/>
smile, “A strawberry milkshake, thanks” </p><p>The giant of a man stalked off to get their orders as both women watched him go with enchanted and surprised smiles.</p><p>“Lulu,” Levy drew back her attention, “I really need some advice.” The previously peppy mage’s face morphed into an expression of one-part dread, one-part enthusiasm and 100% panic.</p><p>A bit worried by the sudden change, Lucy leaned onto the table, her hands folded neatly, supporting her incredible chest.</p><p>“What’s wrong Levy?”</p><p>The smaller girl bit at her bottom lip nervously before spilling all her problems in one long breath of jumbled words, “Gajeelsaidthathehereallyreallywantstomakemehiswomanbuthehadtoknowforsureifwewerematesorsomethingandsincewearehe’sreadyforthefinalstepinourrelationship”</p><p>The celestial mage went over them in her head and finally picked out sentences from the confused mess. </p><p>“Shut the front door!” she almost yelled. At her friend’s panicked look in Gajeel’s direction, she lowered her voice in a fierce whisper, “He said that?”</p><p>At Levy’s jerky nod, she threw her hand up in celebration, “That’s great Levy!” the blonde whisper shouted. “That means you’re official… I just don’t get the whole mate part though. The heck does that mean?”</p><p>Lucy caught the other girl glancing ever so often in her kinda-boyfriend’s direction, most likely trying to glean if he’d overheard. Considering his impressive dragon slayer senses, if he focused enough, she was sure he could pick out their conversation even in the noisy guildhall.</p><p>“From what Gajeel tells me, basically Dragons mate for life and his instincts are telling him that I am his mate. Lulu, he basically wants to get married- and soon! He was waiting for his body to catch up from the 7 year gap to like, fully mature,” here the bluenette turned an interesting shade of red, “H-his body is mature now so he knows for sure that I’m the One”</p><p>Despite Levy’s distress, Lucy thought that the whole thing was absolutely freakin’ amazing. Imagine knowing for sure that she was the ‘one and only’ for the guy she loved. Her mind flashed to Natsu and her. She took a Crocus minute to imagine making cute little pink haired dragon slayer babies with her partner. The thought made her face heat up. Especially, when she thought about how they would make those babies. </p><p>But back to Levy. Her fears and nervousness were justified. In Lucy’s case, she was just so gone on Natsu that she would take any crumb of affection that he’d give. Much less a freakin’ proposal. </p><p>The blonde smiled understandingly at her friend. The pressure of this decision was the source of Levy’s angst. But once she removed all the technicalities, it really only came down to one thing. She told the other mage as much.</p><p>“What’s that?”</p><p>“Do you love him?” the blonde asked softly.</p><p>Levy nodded enthusiastically, “Yes, yes, of course. I’d do anything for him,”</p><p>“Then stop panicking,” Lucy poked her in the forehead, “That’s all that matters. You love each other and it isn’t some flimsy infatuation so go for it”</p><p>The bluenette, considerably calmer now, smiled in gratitude. “Thanks Luce I knew I could count on you to pull my head out of my butt”</p><p>As if on cue, Gajeel strolled over with their drinks and gave Levy the happiest freakin’ grin either girl had ever seen on his face. This served to properly cement the fact that he did hear every word. Though she was embarrassed, Levy smiled beatifically at her man as he turned to walk away.</p><p>“I’m sure you and Blondie have some more girly shit to talk about so I’m gonna chill at the bar with Mira for a while,” he waved in parting as his mate-to-be sighed dreamily with a muttered okay.</p><p>Levy turned back to Lucy who graciously waved off her friend’s questions about her own progress -or lack thereof- with Natsu.</p><p>“You two should be together right now. You’re taking such a huge step with each other. Go celebrate it,” she waved her hand around coolly, “We can always catch up later.”</p><p>Levy stood so quickly that the sturdy table almost flipped over. They parted with a quick but warm hug and plans to meet up for lunch and manis the next day.</p><p> </p><p>After Levy’s big news, Lucy somehow found it hard to remain in the guildhall with the loving couple. So, she headed out towards the east forest. Surprisingly, despite the creepy forest Vulcans, the place was peaceful and enchanting. </p><p>It wasn’t that she’s envious of Levy’s happiness but rather sorry for herself as it served as a reminder that she and Natsu were never going to be together.  From Gajeel’s explanation, dragons only had one mate and the young blonde was starting to feel that she wasn’t it for Natsu. The thought made her feel sad and defeated. To not even have a chance of winning before she even got into the game. That sucked.</p><p>On the bright side, she knew that he would always be her loveable, moronic partner. She knew that, no matter what, they would always protect and love each other even if it was just platonically. And she suspected that her heart would have to be satisfied with knowing that he was safe and happy. </p><p>For, what was certainly not first time, Lucy wondered if she was being selfish by putting their friendship on the line in hopes for more. She’d often wondered if just being his friend was so bad. But then she’d remember how much she ached for him and so every time he touched her, she squirmed away, afraid to alert him to her filthy thoughts. In that way, her love had already started taking its toll on their relationship because he’d made it a point to stop touching her so much now. </p><p> </p><p>May 794<br/>
A week later she was presented with the second sign. They were about 3 days from the coast of Galapagos island where they were searching for the fabled Red Diorite Jewel. Having retrieved the item, thus cutting down their quest time by 99 years, they were headed towards their chartered boat that would take them to the port of Hargeon. Erza and Lucy led their little expedition to the island’s edge while Natsu, Wendy and Happy lagged behind Gray. The Dragon slayers’ motion sickness was no doubt the reason for their sluggish movement towards their transportation home. Both girls were heavily engaged in a conversation that, if asked now, Lucy couldn’t recall what it was about. And because of said riveting parler, both missed the massive reptile crossing their path. Erza, out of ingrained warrior’s instinct or perhaps just good luck, stepped over the creature even without noticing its presence. Lucy, however, had no such luck. Her foot landed just below the snake’s large head, which in hindsight was probably what saved her from a swift bite in retaliation. It still attempted to strike at her from its restrained position beneath her heel. </p><p>The blonde screeched and fell back by several paces with her heart in her throat. Just as quickly, Natsu was in front of her. He was always quick to come to her defense, but his reaction time was downright freaky. The subvocal growl he let out was even more so and as far as she knew, it was a completely new sound. It was out of place coming from the mellow pinkette but strangely fitting considering his draconic heritage. The snake having heard this sound, instantly knew that this man was not to be fucked with and promptly continued on its way out of this obviously stronger predator’s sight.</p><p>“Wow Natsu, that was a- amazing. Thank you,” she murmured in shock.</p><p>The rest of their team just looked on in surprise especially, little Wendy, who didn’t think that her pseudo big brother had a threatening bone in his body- until now. They hadn’t seen the snake and for a moment had wondered where that dangerous aura was coming from and why. Erza noticed the reptile slinking away beneath the foliage and placed a hand on her hip and sent a proud smile in Natsu’s direction.</p><p>“Good Job, Natsu. None of us even sensed it”</p><p>Even Gray and Carla looked mildly impressed but more so of the slayer’s response than the threat itself.</p><p>Happy alone seemed untroubled by this and flew forward to perch on top of his best friend’s head.</p><p>In typical Natsu fashion he brushed it off. “No problem, Luce. C’mon guys, let’s head home.”</p><p>“Aye Sir!” the blue exceed replied.</p><p>With that said, the shock that had previously fallen over the group, was lifted and the wizards continued on with their journey to Magnolia.</p><p> </p><p>May 794- a week later</p><p>The third and final sign that something was off came only a few hours upon them boarding their boat to Hargeon. As expected, the dragon slayers were having a tough time travelling. Poor Wendy huddled up in the corner of the deck with an iron bucket permanently perched on her raised knees and Carla’s gentle petting and soothing ‘There, There child’ s. </p><p>Lucy had developed a habit for petting Natsu on their train rides while he was passed out on her lap. She supposed it was comforting because he unsteadily made his way over to her 15 minutes later with a green face and tired eyes. He fell to his knees beside her on the floor and faceplanted into her bosom.</p><p> “Hey! Watch it, perv!” she forwent the Lucy Kick in light of him already looking half dead and instead prepared to give him a lecture about how presumptuous it was of him to place his head on a girls breasts without permission.</p><p>Her rant was stopped before it even started as the Dragon slayer seemed to be sniffing at her subtly. Apparently, he liked what he smelled because a goofy smile spread across his face as his eyes dropped closed. </p><p>“Mmm, Nice smelling…Lucy,”</p><p>Lucy leaned down to hear him as his words were soft and incoherent. When he snuggled even deeper into her breasts, she was going to deck him- motion sickness or not. She’s stopped by the realization that his face wasn’t pinched in constant queasiness and he hadn’t thrown up in the last 10 minutes or so. Whatever ‘scent’ he was smelling from her made him less sick. So, she would make the sacrifice and let him remain. Not that it was much of a sacrifice when she actually wanted him there. It was just embarrassing with a smirking Gray and Happy looking on while the cat snickered ‘He llliiiiikes you’ behind his paw. His motion sickness was so terrible that she wanted to bring him any measure of peace that she could. So, she decided not to skin the exceed taunting her and remained in place with a gentle hand carding through pink locks.</p><p>His arms wound around her waist mid-nap and he stroked along her side to hip murmuring ‘Lucy, Lucy’. The distressed blonde held back a groan. Happy was never going to let her live this down.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Awkward Boners</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>There was nothing to eat. The pantry was empty, the cupboards bare. Not even Lucy’s secret snack stash under the bed had any food. If he didn’t know any better, Natsu would have thought his teammate was trying to starve him and herself. How could there not be any sign or smell of food in her home? Was she just eating at the guild these days? The idea troubled and worried him. Not to mention the sliver of guilt sliding into his consciousness. </p>
<p>He’d been mostly avoiding her for weeks now. But it wasn’t his fault. The last time he’d snuck into her room, she was half naked- more so than usual. It was weird; it made him feel weird; it was weird that it made him feel weird. The whole situation was just weird, and along with the damn nagging feeling he’d been having for the past few months, the additional weirdness stressed him out.</p>
<p>There were piles and piles of mismatched trinkets and clothing all over his home. That wasn’t usually a problem. The problem came from the fact that he’d stolen the clothing from his unaware teammates- mostly Lucy. So now, every time he saw her he was reminded of the fact that he sequestered several pieces of her used clothing -underwear included- and cuddled up with them atop a ceiling high pile of trash that he just thought looked shiny and had consequently taken home. It was weird. He was becoming weird, and it weirded him out even more. So, when he visited last time and suddenly felt the need to wag his metaphoric tail and pant after his partner like a depraved puppy, he was understandably stressed out. Thus, at present he was mildly avoiding being alone with said source of his additional stress.</p>
<p>The fire dragon slayer was only in the celestial mage’s house because he was absolutely certain she wouldn’t be home for some time. Compelled as he was to stay near her scent all the time, he couldn’t be too close to Lucy without being… stressed. And Happy for some reason was starting to treat him like some crazed madman. Maybe it had something to do with the pile of trash he had in their house. </p>
<p>He clattered and banged his way through her kitchen at a leisurely pace. By now, his sensitive nose had picked up the obvious; the apartment really was bare of food and had been for some time. The sound of cupboards smacking closed and the refrigerator lacrima running provided a sort of white noise against the quiet of his own troubling thoughts. Or something like that. It was the reason his usually sharp nose missed the scent of Lucy coming until it was too late.</p>
<p>At the sound of the door opening and closing, his pink head swerved in that direction. He paused in his perusal of Lucy’s food stores mid raid and watched as she entered the room. </p>
<p>Shit!</p>
<p>Natsu didn’t think she’d be home already. She and Levy were supposed to be buying out the entirety of Magnolia’s shopping district. That usually took time. Why the hell was she home? Dammit!</p>
<p>“Natsu?” she called as she entered the kitchen. The suddenly nervous dragon slayer was caught sitting on the counter with his hands behind his head in some awkward effort at nonchalance.</p>
<p>“Heeyy Luce,” he swung an arm around to send her a wave and trembling grin.</p>
<p>“Hey…” she trailed off awkwardly, seeming to sense his discomfort at her presence.</p>
<p>For a beat, both parties patiently held their breath. Each expecting the other’s next words, so much so that Natsu very nearly fell off the counter when she turned away without a word. </p>
<p>His feet took a moment to catch up with his brain.</p>
<p>“Hey, how come you don’t have any food in here?” he said to her back as she entered the bedroom and threw her shopping bag on the bed.</p>
<p>“I haven’t gone grocery shopping yet, Natsu,” she kept her back to him and leaned over to sort through her new clothes.</p>
<p>The rambunctious mage’s voice took on a soft tone, “Hey, you’re not hurtin’ for jewel, are you?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Lucy turned her head to address the softly spoken question in a similar tone, “No, dummy. I’ve just been busy.”</p>
<p>As she turned back to the not at all urgent task at hand, she silently lost her shit over the fact that a few of those bags contained her last-ditch effort to entice Natsu. Something inside her felt urgent and hurried. As if this would be her last shot. Some instinct was telling her to ensnare the oblivious man as soon as possible. The curvy blonde was nowhere near prepared for his sudden presence, but it was such a rare opportunity that she decided to wing it. </p>
<p>So, with that thought in mind, she started unbuttoning her blouse, still faced away from him. At some point, the pinkette had customarily planted his butt in one of the armchairs behind her. His attention was presumably taken up by the packet of tea biscuits she’d been munching on that morning.</p>
<p>“Hey, Natsu?”</p>
<p>“Yeah?” his voice trembled a bit, but at least he didn’t sound like he was preparing to run to the hills.</p>
<p>The celestial mage deliberated how best she could ask her question. Should she come right out and tell him? Or would actions work better? Knowing Natsu, anything short of her pushing him down and taking his mouth by force, would probably fly right over his head. But the blonde didn’t think she was brave enough for that. In the end, she settled on words and action. And she knew just the story.</p>
<p>“My mom and I used to take the longest baths together when I was a kid. And she’d always tell me that taking a bath with someone s-someone special showed that you were comfortable around them and prepared to be vulnerable to them.”</p>
<p>Her top hit the ground, and she propped a foot up on her bed to remove her thigh highs. A gasp was heard from behind as the woman quickly unzipped her skirt so as to not lose her nerve. </p>
<p>“She said that it was a woman’s way of baring herself to the one whom she loved and giving him the power to hurt her.”</p>
<p>The hand marked with the guild emblem reached up to pull her hair tie from her head. She caught sight of the pink fairy in her peripheral and minutely wondered what her family would be like after that decisive moment. Smiling, she deftly removed her bra and turned to face the uncharacteristically quiet dragon slayer. A newly manicured arm raised up to cover her nipples. Not that it made much of a difference. Her breasts were abundant and so she was sure he could see most of them, anyway. And except for her panties, she was bare before his eyes. That didn’t stop her from turning six shades of red from embarrassment.</p>
<p>“That said… Do you- do you wanna take a bath with me?” she smiled sweetly but nervously. The girl had put everything on the line, was finally confessing to Natsu and her heart was trying to beat out of her chest as he stood there completely quiet.</p>
<p>A part of her expected the response. It should have been no question about what Natsu would do in this situation. But her traitorous heart still harbored hope that he’d notice her, see her as a woman, a woman who wanted and loved him with all of her heart. But fate had never been very kind to her in the love department. It still hurt.</p>
<p>“Nah Luce,” he scratched behind his head with a carefree grin so wide his cheeks pushed his eyes closed. It suggested his inability -or unwillingness- to grasp the gravity of her question. “I’m not really feeling up for a bath right now”</p>
<p>Lucy remained unresponsive, like a coma patient, and watched as he turned to stroll out.</p>
<p>“I’m gonna go get some grub at the guildhall,” he put up a hand to wave, “See ya later”</p>
<p>She was quiet as the door opened and closed. </p>
<p>When since Natsu used the door?</p>
<p>The mage spent several moments just going over the last few minutes, unable to believe that her heart and pride could be so easily shattered in such a short time. </p>
<p>It took a while, but her head finally caught up and she spared a moment to find a robe and cover up.</p>
<p>Was he really that dense? Should she have said it plainer? Maybe, maybe he just didn’t like her. But for him to walk away like that. Was she that undesirable?</p>
<p>No matter how many times the blonde rolled the scene over in her head, it always ended the same. He said no. He wasn’t interested. And each time she heard herself declare her own vulnerability for him, she felt like more and more of a fool.</p>
<p>How stupid!</p>
<p>It wasn’t until she was submerged in a scalding hot bath, bare of her usual scents and oils, did the tears flow. They flowed until the eerie morning hours when she’d finally cried herself tired enough for sleep.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p>
<p> </p>
<p>‘Do you wanna take a bath with me?’</p>
<p>“Arghh!!” Natsu pushed and tugged at his own hair frantically, “Dammit Lucy! What the hell am I supposed to say to that?”</p>
<p>He was on his way home, having decided that the chaotic guild hall wasn’t where he needed to be at that moment. He already had enough chaos going on, thank you. The most recent cause of said chaos was his partner trying to get him in a bath with her. Like naked. And wet.</p>
<p>His cheeks flared up like a beacon to match his hair. Usually it wouldn’t have been a problem but for the past few months he’d been fantasizing about Lucy in some… less than friendly -or more than, depending on how you looked at it- positions. Sure, he’d been hard before but never so much so that it was painful; he’d never felt the need to act on it- until now. And it was like the universe was against him. Because as soon as he’d started having those… thoughts, Lucy was all over him. And when she wasn’t, she was tempting him with little things that no one -and everyone else- would find sexy.</p>
<p>Exhibit A was just now. What full-blooded male could take a bath with a woman as amazing and sexy as that and not think inappropriate things? She must not have seen him as a full-blooded male, or any kind of man at all for that matter or she wouldn’t have offered him front row seats to her fuckin’ delicious body. As soon as her blouse had hit the floor, his brain had short-circuited and the next thing he knew, she was standing there in front of him naked and inviting him to for a bath. Her breasts spilled out from behind her hands, hips cocked slightly and the little vee at her waist pointing to that sweet little apex of honey between her thighs. It was all he could do to get the hell out of dodge before he did something terrible like bend her over said bath’s edge and plowed her sweet-smelling pussy till she cried.</p>
<p>He shuddered to think what Erza would do to him if he ever acted on those feelings. Not to mention the Luck Kick he could see in his future.</p>
<p>And speaking of amazing smells, for some reason her body had started giving off the most delicious… scent. It wasn’t a describable phenomenon. In fact, it wasn’t even really a scent at all. Just, like an aura luring him to her always. When it was just them, it would calm him to an almost drugged state. But in the presence of others -usually men- he just needed to catch a whiff of this not-scent, and he’d go freakin’ berserk. Like mouth-drooling, growly, tooth and claw berserk. It had gotten so gotten so bad that the last time he’d fought Gray, he’d actually managed to seriously injure the demon slayer. The sheer bloodlust he’d felt was enough for even him to avoid the enticement of a good fight.</p>
<p>For the first time in his life, his body was actively working against him and it was damn painful and frustrating.<br/>
Arghhh!</p>
<p>“Natsu! Natsu!”</p>
<p>The dragon slayer was dragged out of his distressing dilemma. He turned around to see his exceed friend, Happy, flying towards him. The little guy had a fish in his mouth and a grin on his face. It was enough to make the pink-haired man smile at his friend’s happiness and try to put his pervy thoughts away.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Pass the Brain Bleach!</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So, I’m still getting used to posting here so the scene changes aren’t as clear as I’d like them to be. Most of my formatting from word gets lost in translation upon uploading here. I’m getting a hang of it, so please bear with me. </p>
<p>Thank you to all those who have provided feedback so far. It really pushes me to squeeze out more content more frequently. I do so regardless, but it’s a great incentive.</p>
<p>This chapter is kinda like an extra, while I work on completing a few more chapters. </p>
<p>Enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter 2.5</p>
<p>Happy sat fishing rod in hand by a stream in the forest near his and Natsu’s house. For the umpteenth time that month, he was all by his lonesome fishing. His best friend as of late was either too enraptured by the shiny wrappers in his hoard or by staring at Lucy’s butt. The little exceed sighed. He wished that those two would just get together already and do all the gross things Natsu dreamt about at night.</p>
<p>Fish poop!</p>
<p>If he had to hear Natsu moaning at dream Lucy to ‘spread her legs for him’ one more time, he would throw up on them both. It was confusing to the exceed why his friend didn’t just give Lucy a yummy fishie and be happy already.</p>
<p>Humans. They just had to complicate everything.</p>
<p>Something pulled on the end of his line with a mighty tug. Happy flew up excitedly and attempted to wheel it in. Seemed the not-so-little fishie had the same idea as it started trying to wheel him in too! The exceed flapped his little wings as hard as he could, tiny muscles straining, face twisted in stress under his exertions. Something had to give. That something just turned out to be the fishing line. The quiet snap echoed in the still forest, and inside the poor cat’s heart. His big fishie was gone! He could just see the little bugger making off down the stream, cackling at his misfortune.</p>
<p>“Ahhh! Fishie, noooo!”</p>
<p>He flew forward to chase his prize but thought better of it mid surge. He really wanted that fishie, but he wasn’t like Natsu who could reach in with a fire dragon’s iron fist and just knock their fleeing dinner out. Another sigh floated out of him while he floated down back to his position on the forest floor.</p>
<p>“Goodness Happy, are you deaf? I have been calling you for the past 10 minutes, Tom Cat.”</p>
<p>A dainty fair-furred lady-exceed walked towards him from the shade of the forest several feet behind him with a scowl on her face. She narrowed her eyes at his despondent face and the lineless fishing rod in his hand. Happy almost cried in both joy and shame. His darling Carla had seen him fail so epically at catching some yummy fishies, and he’d intended to share them with her too.</p>
<p>“Car… " he’s stopped mid complaint by a deeper voice coming from behind his beloved Carla.</p>
<p>“Carla, please slow down, you could get hurt out here.”</p>
<p>Pantherlily. Great.</p>
<p>This was just what his confidence needed, for the stud of a cat to see him in all his failures and in the presence of his one true love.</p>
<p>“Oh, hush now Lily, I am perfectly fine. I’ve found Happy.” The newly arrived exceed gave Happy a manly nod of acknowledgement to which the blue tom cat replied with a much less manly wave.</p>
<p>“Lily, Carla, what are you two doing here?”</p>
<p>The white and black cats took a seat on either side of him, Carla gracefully folding her skirt before perching on a pile of soft leaves.</p>
<p>“Hiding from your pal, Natsu,” Lily answered from his right. Carla nodded and mhmmed in agreement.</p>
<p>“Natsu? Why?” he swung his short legs from their heightened position above the bank. There was no danger of him getting wet, so he allowed his paws to knock carelessly on the side of their seat.</p>
<p>“Didn’t you hear?” Carla folded her arms and raised an eyebrow in question, “Apparently, Lucy took a job request this morning, before he got to the guild. She’s not expected back for several weeks.”</p>
<p>Happy took in the information but was still confused. Sure, Natsu would be in a foul mood if Lucy took a job without them, but he’d just ask Mira where she went, and followed her. And if for some reason he couldn’t go -though, nothing short of  the master’s orders or Erza’s sword could deter him from her side. He wasn’t sure how the dragon slayer could make everyone else so miserable to the point where they hid from him.</p>
<p>“I see you thinking over there, Tom Cat, don’t hurt yourself.” Pantherlily snickered at the female exceed’s little jab.</p>
<p>“But I just don’t get it, Carla,” the blue cat almost whined.</p>
<p>“Of course you don’t,” she must’ve decided not to taunt him anymore because she continued with an explanation without anymore prompting, “Lucy gave Mira explicit instructions not to tell Natsu where she was going and that set off the hothead so much that he got into a brawl with Erza.”</p>
<p>Happy’s eyes widened in horror. He hadn’t even been there, but he could feel his heart beating out a stuttered and hurried staccato against his chest. Natsu was dead. He had to be. No one challenged Erza and lived to tell the tale. </p>
<p>Oh no, he was gonna have to sell their house and move into the guild where he’d have to sleep under the tables and beg for scraps to eat from Mira. He would spend the rest of his days mourning the loss of his dearest friend.</p>
<p>Lily must have seen the panicked look on his face because the black cat clamped a comforting paw on his slumped shoulder.</p>
<p>“Don’t worry, she went easy on him. Problem is now that Erza has banned him from starting one more fight for the day, he’s just sitting there slumped over by one of the tables looking like someone unraveled his favorite scarf and sent the parts to space.”</p>
<p>So relieved as he was by Natsu’s still living status, Happy didn’t think the rest of Lily’s words matched up in severity. He just continued looking at the other cat, waiting for the punchline.</p>
<p>“So?”</p>
<p>“So? So? So, he’s depressing, foolish cat,” she almost sounded physically hurt by his stupidity, “And it’s depressing the rest of us. He keeps making these little wounded moans and anytime another male guild member comes close to him, he lashes out like a wild dog. He’s even more destructive than usual, and now, he’s bipolar too. There’s only so much of that we could take.”</p>
<p>Lily nodded ardently along with every word. Clearly, the dragon slayer had scarred them both, more than either would care to admit. A depressed Natsu was a scary thing. It was also unusual and evidently so mind-blowing that his guild mates were keeping a safe distance to preserve their sanity.</p>
<p>“Oh no, Natsu,” the blue exceed let out a sigh in opposition to his namesake, “I need to go cheer him up!”</p>
<p>Before he could soar off, Pantherlily held him back by the right wing.</p>
<p>“I don’t think that’s a good idea, Happy.”</p>
<p>The tom cat wrinkled his brow, “Why not? Natsu’s sad. I have to go cheer him up.”</p>
<p>“I’ve seen this phenomenon before… with Gajeel,” Lily released his wing as the other cat settled in to listen, “Levy’d taken a 2-week job with ShadowGear…”</p>
<p>_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p>
<p>Some indefinite time ago…</p>
<p>“Iron Dragon’s Sword!” the mammoth of a weapon fell sharply through the floorboards, dissolving the wood into tiny splinters.</p>
<p>“Gajeel, slow down. You’re gonna completely wreck the house at this point,” Pantherlily complained from the safety of his perch on top of the kitchen cupboards.</p>
<p>“The damn rat is mocking me, Lily. I’m gonna kick its ass! Ahhh!”</p>
<p>The dragon slayer chased the little furry creature to the sitting room, swinging his gigantic sword around like a madman. His eyes were red from days of missed sleep and his face permanently twisted in a meaner rendition of his usual scowl.</p>
<p>Lily worried for the slayer. Levy’d gone on a mission three days ago and Gajeel had been losing mind ever since. The slightest thing set him off, and he lied awake every night staring at the books she’d left at his place from the last visit. The iron dragon slayer was going mental. He was sure of it. And if it continued for much longer, they would be out of a house.</p>
<p>Quick on his feet as ever, Lily excitedly pointed out the back door.</p>
<p>“Gajeel! Look! I think I saw it escape through there.”</p>
<p>The mage sprung up from his battle-crouch. “Where?!”</p>
<p>“Through there!” the black cat lied, pointing outside.</p>
<p>“Little fucker, I’ve got you now!”</p>
<p>The bloodthirsty slayer dashed out on a mad rampage to rid the world of that single rat. The exceed exhaled a heavy breath and rested his head on his paws. Levy needed to hurry and get home or there wouldn’t be a home to get back to.</p>
<p>Gajeel continued much in the same pattern for the remaining time that Levy was absent. It got so bad that the Master forbade him from entering the guild hall until the solid script mage was back. </p>
<p>He tried to comfort his friend for the rest of her time away. But when the girl finally came back… The exceed spent most of his time in the guildhall trying to block out the memory of Gajeel demanding that Levy ‘hold her pretty cunt open so he could eat her pretty kitty’ and the bluenette moaning and whimpering for him to get on with it.</p>
<p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p>
<p>Fear like no other settled on Lily’s face. The only times either cat ever saw him this scared was in a thunderstorm. </p>
<p>Happy didn’t get it. Levy didn’t have a kitty. She didn’t have any kind of cat he knew of. And why would Gajeel want to eat her cat? That’s just gross. Sure, he knew that human males sometimes called vaginas pussies, but…</p>
<p>Carla lifted her eyebrows in some silent sign he was supposed to know the meaning of, and Pantherlily sat shaking in fear or nausea. Maybe both. Wow, whatever the hell Gajeel and Levy had done that day sure did a number on the normally fierce warrior. Sure, it was a weird choice of dish, but what was so scarring about eating a… Oh.</p>
<p>Oh!</p>
<p>The realization that he’d realized crossed both his companions faces at the same time. For once, no one made fun of his naivete. If anything they both looked jealous of him for a second, there. He was jealous of him from 10 seconds ago too. What he would give not to know what he now did.</p>
<p>Yuck! Humans were nasty!</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 3: Draconic Testosterone</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Lucy had taken a 2-month solo job the following day. To be honest, she could have completed it in far less time, but she’d needed the distance from Natsu. Gray and Wendy, having sensed that something was wrong, had confronted her before she’d left. She had told them she just needed a little time to figure some things out. Her flimsy smile had fooled nobody, but they’d allowed her the privacy of her own thoughts- for the time being. No such luck with Erza. The requip mage had demanded that Lucy give her the name of the scoundrel that had put that despondent look on her face. Her fire had burned so fiercely and so brightly on her behalf that Lucy had almost broken down in tears again. She’d been able to distract the red head with promises of sweets from a renowned cake shop in Hargeon upon her return. Weary and unable to keep up her charade for long, she’d pointedly avoided Mira’s all-seeing eye and dodged Levy’s efforts to talk. Sure, she felt like an ass for making her family worry, but she didn’t want to make a big deal out of something that she now knew wasn’t.</p>
<p>So, Natsu didn’t love her like that. Big deal. That oaf probably would’ve been a pain as a boyfriend, anyway. He already gave her headaches daily. No need to subject herself to even more of that. Those were the thoughts that had kept her lonely heart company for the last few days. She didn’t mean them maliciously at least, not anymore. They were little jokes about Natsu’s larger-than-life personality that made her smile both wistfully and happily. They had followed her on the last leg of her trip home, through Magnolia and through the doors of the guildhall.</p>
<p>Apparently her guildmates were waiting for her because as soon as she entered, she was accosted by Erza, Levy and Mira. All wore varying degrees of worry on their faces.<br/>“Lucy! So good to have you back with us. I trust your mission went well?” Erza’s strong arms wrapped her up in a bone-crushing hug that she just melted into despite the discomfort of the warrior’s armor digging into her flesh.</p>
<p>Lucy sighed happily, if not as brightly as she used to, “Erza,” the blonde sent her a happy smile as she’s released from the hug, “It did, thanks.”</p>
<p>Mira and Levy watched her warily, but each gave her a long, warm hug and an excited ‘Welcome back’. She supposed the T-shirt and jeans ensemble was a bit out of character for her but Natsu’s refusal was still fresh and in some dark corner of her mind, she wondered if maybe she had too much confidence in her body. A part of her now really understood why Erza wore armor all the time. It felt safer, like it was covering up all her soft spots so the world couldn’t hurt her. That’s what her additional layers were doing for her. Besides, it’s not like it would kill her to cover up a little more.</p>
<p>The barmaid whispered into her ear before she pulled back, “If you ever need to talk, I’m here”</p>
<p>The blonde hugged her tighter to show her appreciation. A week ago, she might’ve burst into tears from that alone, but all her time alone allowed her to put her thoughts regarding Natsu in order and gave her the strength to face him.</p>
<p>Said strength was about to be tested. Brown eyes caught sight of the fire dragon slayer sitting with Gray in the back. The fire and ice mages strangely weren’t butting heads despite Erza’s momentary absence. They rarely needed more than a second to start fighting. Huh. That was strange. </p>
<p>He was faced away from her, nose deep in conversation with Happy. They were probably talking about food/fish. The sight of him made her resolve stutter in their tracks for a split second, but she reined back in that depressed aura and tried to be her same old happy self again.</p>
<p>Mira, who was about to head back to the bar, clapped delightedly mid turn, thusly, diverting Lucy’s attention away from Natsu.</p>
<p>“Oh yes! We’re having a costume party tonight, Lucy. I’m so glad you’re back home in time!”</p>
<p>“Party? What’s the occasion?”</p>
<p>Erza looked at her discerningly while Levy cocked her head in wonderment.</p>
<p>“Lulu, it’s Halloween,” the bluenette answered.</p>
<p>Oh yeah!</p>
<p>She grinned embarrassedly. How could she have forgotten the date? Wow. Whatever. The party would further help to raise her spirits and take her mind off the still fresh heartache. She was done dooming and glooming over it. At least, she hoped so.</p>
<p>“Been too busy, I guess. But a party is just what the doctored ordered, Mira!” The blonde beamed at the silverette in appreciation and sent her off with an excited wave.</p>
<p>Her remaining two friends started guiding her towards Natsu’s table as they dove into conversation about costumes and accessories for the party that night.</p>
<p>“I have the perfect armor for the occasion!” Erza got that suspicious glimmer in her eye that always spelt doom, or at the very least- discomfort, for those in the vicinity.</p>
<p>Levy and Lucy laughed nervously in response. The blue-haired mage took her hand as they approached the table. Lucy spared a second to think about the odd timing of her gesture before Natsu’s voice piping up loudly distracted her, “Hey Luce!”</p>
<p>The girls slid into the seat across from him and Happy. Erza kicked Gray out to the other side of the table so that all three of them could fit. The ice-make mage grumbled something under his breath about crazy, aggressive women as he moved to sit beside Natsu.</p>
<p>“What was that Gray?” Erza managed to loom over him even when sitting. The demonic look in her eyes was enough cause for the half naked man to shake his head furiously in denial.</p>
<p>He tensed in his seat. “N-nothing ma’am. Just wonderi-ring where my shirt was”</p>
<p>She folded her arms and narrowed her eyes in a menacing display of intimidation. </p>
<p>Lucy smirked fondly at their usual antics. She turned to Natsu with her best smile and swallowed the Plue-sized lump slowly squeezing up her throat. “Hey Natsu, Gray. How are you?”</p>
<p>“Same old. How ya’ doin’ Lucy?” Gray’s question sounded loaded to her, but maybe it was just paranoia. He was more observant than their fiery friend and was already suspicious of her before she left. Either way, she couldn’t risk him picking up on her reasons for leaving. She had no desire to cause any kind of discord in her team. Well anymore than she probably had. Though, in all fairness, knowing Natsu, they would just continue on like nothing ever happened. Which, in the literal sense, nothing did.</p>
<p>“I’m doing great, Gray. Hey, where’s Juvia?”</p>
<p>The dark-haired mage started looking around frantically as if just by mentioning her name, Lucy would summon the rain woman. She felt a little bad for knowingly putting that panicked look in his eyes. She knew that their relationship was complicated due to Juvia’s (obsession) persistence in pursuing Gray. And he wasn’t helping by encouraging and running from her in equal measures.</p>
<p>Erza was the one to answer her question. “Yes… It is rather odd not to see her around, more so now that Lucy is back. Juvia has a sixth sense about you,” the redhead sent her a pitying look. And Lucy had to agree with her. Juvia usually knew when any woman was around her Gray, especially when that woman was her ‘love rival’. It used to exasperate her, but in recent years she’d learnt to let it go. If anything the water mage was admirable for so fearlessly going after what she wanted and not taking Gray’s half-assed answers.<br/>“I’m sure she’ll be here soon,” Levy giggled. A spark of mischievousness lit up behind her eyes as she turned to address Lucy, “By the way Luce, I didn’t know when you’d get back so I took the liberty of getting you a costume for tonight.”</p>
<p>The blonde woman wrapped her arms around her friend enthusiastically. </p>
<p>“Oh, thank you, thank you, Levy! I really appreciate it!”</p>
<p>Natsu excitedly hopped up on the table. “Alllright! I’m fired up now!”</p>
<p>Lucy smiled fondly at his usual gimmicks, glad to see that she could still appreciate his buoyant attitude. “What are you coming as Natsu?”</p>
<p>He gave her a look she’d never seen on his face before. All eyes lowered, lips titled in a playful smirk with just the barest hint of fang over the upturned quirk in his lower lip. She’s reminded by his heritage, by the slightest growl in his voice. “Well, that’s a surprise, Luce.”</p>
<p>The celestial mage tensed up momentarily, trying her best to form her usual unimpressed comments.</p>
<p>“P-Please, I doubt it will be,” she chuckled to cover the slight tremor in her voice. Sadly, it did nothing for the red in her cheeks.<br/>Mavis help her, she was going to give herself away in front of their friends!</p>
<p>--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</p>
<p>Four hours before, Lucy had been dying to party it up with her rambunctious Fairy Tail guildmates. Now… not so much. The reason lied in the ‘outfit’ Levy’d gotten her for the party. Two months prior, it would’ve been her usual party fare, but seeing as she was trying to make more conservative clothing choices, it was breaking her new dress code rules. And it was just plain uncomfortable. What was more uncomfortable was the fact that she was obviously supposed to be some kind of fire dragoness. The red skirt was long, but that was its only saving grace because it slit so high on both thighs that that she had to wear a nude-colored thong as any other panties would have been painfully obvious from the sides. The piece ended in a triangular point by her ankles where her feet were adorned with a pair of strappy tawny sandals. A gold band wrapped around the end by her hips, which made for a convenient place to secure her keys. The top half wasn’t scandalous per se, but it was embarrassing. The scaly, form-fitting crop top scooped up into a sweet-heart neckline with embroidered, golden threads expanding cross her chest in a burst of flames.</p>
<p>Lucy spun in the mirror once more, a hand fingering one of the loose tendrils that had been artfully left to fall from her lazy-sexy up sweep, that, even with Cancer’s help, had taken an entire hour to style. It was worth it, though. The result was marvelous. And the ruby red gems scattered sporadically throughout her hair really complimented the tribal markings spread across her collar bones in gold glitter paint. The final touches of the outfit included a braided choker, same shade as her footwear, and a set of miniature red dragon wings. The blonde sighed and spun once more. This time checking out her rear. It looked… nice. She looked nice. And despite the lingering discomfort that she had from the fear of flashing anyone tonight, Lucy decided to make the most of her time out. </p>
<p>Though…</p>
<p>She blushed at her reflection. She wouldn’t be making any sudden moves at all if she could help it.</p>
<p>-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</p>
<p>The celebration was in full swing when the blonde mage got there. They’d covered the Guild Hall in fake creepy crawlies, spider webs, and jack-o’-lanterns. All probably the product of Reedus’ magic. The eerie burnt-orange lights and smoke helped really to set the scene. With a long table set up by the bar, piled high with food and drink, and people chatting and dancing on the pseudo dance floor, Fairy Tail was in full party mode.</p>
<p>Lucy stood for a moment just taking in the sight of her friends gallivanting and having fun. She spotted Cana by the bar whispering sweet nothings to her almost empty wine keg. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Gajeel and Levy sitting in a corner booth in deep conversation. Throat deep conversation. Feeling like a total creeper for witnessing the couple’s intimate moment, she quickly turned away from the sight of her innocent Levy trying to climb Gajeel like a tree. On the other side of the building, Mira tended to the bar with her usual enthusiasm and kind demeanor while her sister Lisanna scurried around behind her, assisting with mixing drinks and serving shots. </p>
<p>Her brown eyes scanned the crowd for her teammates but came up a few members short.  Erza was suspiciously absent, and Gray was no doubt hiding out from Juvia. Natsu and Happy were uncharacteristically nowhere near the food table but by the bar talking with Gildarts. Wendy and Carla were apparently still visiting Lamia Scale. She’d thought the youngest dragon slayer would be back in time to party. Though, in all honesty, the young girl would’ve probably needed to leave once the older members got too rowdy for her innocent eyes.  </p>
<p>Seeing as all her other friends were occupied, the celestial mage made her way over to the bar. The intention was to get a drink while not making it look like she was avoiding Natsu. Before she even got there, Happy zoomed passed her, heading towards the food table and muttering something about tasty fishies. He only spared a second to say hi as he did so. Lucy shook her head fondly at his unhealthy obsession and continued walking. </p>
<p>As she took her seat, it was Gildarts who noticed her first. Which seeing as she was sitting at Natsu’s back, it was much expected.</p>
<p>“Wow Lucy, you look sexy!” His eyes slid over her body and stopped to linger by her chest. She smiled, blushed and thanked him. Cue Cana strolling -staggering- over, as if summoned by a sixth sense for when her father was being pervy. She smirked at the older man as his daughter dragged him off by the ear, kicking and screaming while lecturing the old perv about ogling her friends. </p>
<p>Natsu finally turned to take her in and his grin slid off his face for a second as he did.</p>
<p>“Oh wow, Luce. You kinda look like a fire dragon.” She laughed as lightly as she could.</p>
<p>“It was Levy’s idea. She got it for me,” She raised an eyebrow at his costume, “I’m assuming you’re supposed to be one too?”</p>
<p>The question distracted him from his analysis of her wings as he responded with his typical Natsu-esque enthusiasm.</p>
<p>“Yeah! I got the horns and wings and shit. And I’m already a fire dragon slayer anyway, so I think I pulled it off!”</p>
<p>Lucy laughed at his ‘wings’ and ‘horns’. They were obviously made from paper. It was well done but guaranteed to be destroyed in very little time -considering his track record. And to top it off, he paired the whole thing with his day to day wear. In the low lighting, he looked kind of cool, if not somewhat ironic as he reminded her of a little boy who was playing dress up. It was very easy to forget the fearsome fire dragon king raised their Natsu. And that by heritage, he was an actual fire dragon.</p>
<p>“It looks a little… delicate for you,” the woman poked one of his horns gently, “And if I’m not mistaken, didn’t Igneel have a little horn on his nose and not his head?”</p>
<p>She tapped him on the nose, preemptively smirking at the inevitable outburst. “Oh, man!” he raised his hands to grab at his hair, knocking the pale grey horns off-kilter. “That totally slipped me!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Lucy couldn’t hold it in. She released her previously bitten down lip to guffaw in laughter at the pink-haired man’s pouty-irate face. Her smile spread so wide across her face that her cheeks puffed up so high and her eyes closed. His expression was cute and so very… Natsu, that it warmed her heart to frightening degrees. </p>
<p>“Been a while since I’ve seen that look,” she opened her eyes and saw him watching her with surprisingly keen eyes.</p>
<p>Eyes still filled with mirth and the barest hint of tears, Lucy quirked her lips as she sobered up, “What do you mean?”</p>
<p>Natsu, in that annoying way of his, kept staring into her brown eyes with a look so sincere, she felt flustered and flattered in equal measures. His boyish grin only made her heart stutter even more. </p>
<p>“I just haven’t seen you that happy in a while. But it looks like you’re okay now. That’s good,” another grin for her troubles.</p>
<p>The celestial mage’s face slowly lost color in the face of that implication.</p>
<p>He noticed.</p>
<p>He noticed that she was sad.</p>
<p>He noticed, but the idiot didn’t know why. He didn’t realise that he’d crushed her heart and stomped all over her pride. Lucy knew her partner was oblivious. But for him to have no idea at all why she was keeping her emotions and distance was actually pretty freakin’ amazing. She wondered if it was a good thing or bad. On one hand, he didn’t mean to disregard her so easily, thus hurting her feelings; as far as he was concerned, she didn’t confess to him. They could continue being a team without her feeling so uncomfortable because that event didn’t happen for him. On the other hand, she’d have to go back to seriously hiding. She’d have to stomp down those feelings and swallow the words of love <br/>and devotion threatening to voice themselves in his presence.</p>
<p>Instead of an answer, she flagged down Mira to their end of the bar.</p>
<p>“Hey Natsu… Lucy, you look amazing! What can I get you guys?” Mira’s sweet voice washed over her with a calmness usually only brought on by strong liquor. The blonde suspected that the real thing would still be better.</p>
<p>The oblivious idiot to her left grinned his hi like an exuberant puppy.</p>
<p>“Hey Mira, thanks. I see you’re rocking the angel look. Nice!” she gave the smiling silverette a thumbs up on her pure white angel costume and received a giggle in response.</p>
<p>“Anyway, could I get a sho...” the dragoness turned to the dragon beside her and smiled at him fondly but in exasperation, “No, make that 3 shots of tequila, please?”</p>
<p>Natsu’s eyes widened in surprise. He wisely kept quiet. </p>
<p>If Mira was shocked by the uncharacteristically high number for the Lightweight Lucy, she didn’t show it. The bar maid gave her a no problem and served said shots with a smile before disappearing down the bar to a tipsy looking, but finally present Gray.</p>
<p>Clack! Clack! Clack! She downed each glass one after the other in under ten seconds. It was only after that that she turned her body to face Natsu’s once more. Her slowly hazing eyes watched him watching her apprehensively. Whatever was said about Natsu’s obliviousness, he was always good at sniffing out -and causing- disaster. He reached out to place a hand on her shoulder, but thought better of it. His hand fell back awkwardly on the counter.</p>
<p>“Lucy, are you all right?”</p>
<p>The new voice surprised her. She turned away from Natsu to see Erza hovering by her side, seeming to appear out of nowhere. Beside her stood the newly pardoned guild master of Crime Sorciere.</p>
<p>“Erza! And Jellal! How good to see you two. Here. Togeetheeerrr,” she teased the blushing pair, “and matching too! How wonderful!”</p>
<p>Erza’s face matched her last name while her partner greeted the playful blonde poking fun at them. The red head wore a white camisole-top with giant strawberries patterned all over. Her white leather skirt folded like a kilt at the top of her thigh high pink boots. She’d fashioned her hair into a pair of high pig tails adorned with a cat-eared head band with strawberries instead of ears.</p>
<p>“What the heck do you mean matching?” Natsu piped up beside her. </p>
<p>“I mean, she’s obviously strawberry cake,” he gestured to Erza with a flippant up-down wave then cocked his head towards Jellal with a raised eyebrow, “But what the hell is he supposed to be?”</p>
<p>The tattooed blue-haired man shyly scratched at his silver cheek as Lucy gave her idiotic friend an annoyed corner eye.</p>
<p>“He’s obviously the fork, dummy. Note the fork on his chest.” She waved at the man painted entirely silver with a black space spanning his shoulders to hips in the shape of a fork. </p>
<p>“That’s why they match. Fork eats Cake”</p>
<p>Erza pinked even more, “Well, no-not exactly. He doesn’t eat me- I-I mean, not that I was thinking about him eating me! He’s just used to eating me, a-as in not ‘used to’ like he ‘usually’ does but like used to- like-like…!” the fairy queen was so flustered that she got crossed eyed by her own explanation.</p>
<p>At this point the alcohol had evidently set in because the laugh Lucy let out, at Erza no less, was nothing short of her signing a death warrant. She held her bare tummy and fell off her stool- luckily, on both feet, crouched over, red-faced and out of breath.</p>
<p>“You two are so fucking adorable!” She disregarded - didn’t notice- the look of shock on her friends’ faces as the laughter died down and she straightened.</p>
<p>“Anyway, see ya later. I’m gonna dance!”</p>
<p>Pale green eyes watched as Lucy sauntered off to the dancefloor. Her steps were just a little wobbly, but she made it there with more grace than he expected after watching her down 3 shots of hard liquor in succession. His eyes were trained on her voluptuous body as she swayed and rocked to the music in the middle of the building. Natsu saw some other men in the guild watching her too, but with one dark look from him they quickly diverted their eyes or attempted to watch more furtively.</p>
<p>Something hot and cold settled in the pit of his stomach. It was a strange phenomenon that felt as if he was burning hot enough to freeze over hell. His friend made him heat in… in… something he didn’t want to name. While his anger simmered like a blue flame. He didn’t like it.</p>
<p>By now his whole body was turned to her on the dancefloor, and he studied the sway of her hips, the bounce of her beautiful tits and the smile on her face like the stalwart student he never knew he was. Lips suddenly dry as she spun and bent over, shaking her ass. His hand curled into a fist on the counter and he put one foot on the floor to… to what? To dance with her? Drag her away from here? Unsettled by these thoughts, the fire dragon slayer resettled on his stool and enjoyed the show.</p>
<p>For a second, she peeked over her shoulder coyly, smirking like a mischievous demoness. But she wasn’t a demon, was she? No, she was the teasing little flame dragoness to his fire dragon. His pants pulled tight around the now familiar hardness hidden beneath. Every twist and turn she made felt like it was leading up to something. As if this party was some ritualistic ceremony, except his goddess was paying tribute to him rather than the other way around. It felt weird to think of the blonde that way, but Lucy did have a body fit for a goddess. All those dips and curves, those opulent breasts, full, buxom hips and thick, soft thighs meant to fit over his shoulders…</p>
<p>“Is- Is that Lucy?”</p>
<p>He hadn’t even noticed that someone had sat down beside him. He turned to see Gray reclining against the bar, eyes bugged out at the sight of their teammate in such a sensual display.</p>
<p>The surprise at his presence knocked Natsu out of his inappropriate reverie. </p>
<p>“Huh?” he shook his head to clear it some, “What’re you doing here, Gray? And where’s Erza?”</p>
<p>The ice mage looked at him like he was an idiot. “She left to go privately make eyes at Jellal over there,” he tilted his chin in a vague direction near the back, “I’ve been here for the past 20 minutes, flamebrain,” he smirked at the pink-haired man, “You were just too busy ogling Lucy’s ass like a pervy old man to notice. Wait till I tell her.”</p>
<p>The raven was enjoying himself far too much for Natsu’s liking. And he wasn’t ogling her! He swore he wasn’t. He was just… he’d get back to that thought when he thought of a good excuse.</p>
<p>“I- I was not!” he left it there seeing as none of his ideas sounded like a remotely good reason to be staring at the blonde woman so intently.</p>
<p>Gray laughed at his oblivious teammate. He shook his head at the idiot and swerved his eyes back on the dancing woman. So, he was the first to see the oncoming calamity. He murmured a quiet shit under his breath as he jumped off his stool and dusted off his non-existent pants.</p>
<p>“C’mon Natsu. We need to take Lucy home before she does something, she’s gonna regret tomorrow.”</p>
<p>The pinkette started turning his head, “What d’ya me…”</p>
<p>The sight that met his eyes on the dancefloor made their color blooded in fury. Oh, someone was gonna die. Preferably Laxus for daring to put his hands on his woman!</p>
<p>Lucy had one arm wrapped around the other blonde’s neck from behind. Her ass was pressed squarely up against his groin and they were undulating far too sensually for the peppy, upbeat song that was being played. The lightening dragon slayer had a grin on his face as his hands caressed the other mage’s hips. He lowered his mouth to the side of her neck to place a kiss there, but drew back with a confused scowl. His face looked like he’d smelled something unpleasant.</p>
<p>Her back got cold as the mammoth of a man withdrew from her body completely. Confused, Lucy spun to face him.</p>
<p>“What’s wrong?”</p>
<p>The leader of the Thunder Legion looked so uncomfortable; it would’ve been cute had it not been her in this position.</p>
<p>He kept his hands on her waist but suddenly looked weirded out by it. He almost looked repelled by the feel of her hips.</p>
<p>“Hey look Blondie, you’re freakin’ hot. And I want nothing more than to take you home and explore all that hotness,” she blushed. Laxus was good-looking, and she wasn’t going to sleep with him, but his compliments and attentions so far were doing wonders for her wounded ego. </p>
<p>“But,” he paused. Uh oh, here it came. “I’m not in the habit of poaching another dragon slayer’s woman.”</p>
<p>Ah, there it was. The  it’s-not-you-it’s-me speech that every guy used to tell a girl she wasn’t desirable or even likeable enough to- wait!</p>
<p>“What!” That sounded like an it’s-not-you-it’s-your-boyfriend speech and she wasn’t familiar with this one at all. She had a strong suspicion which dragon slayer he was referring to, but she just had to ask to make sure. So she did.</p>
<p>“Natsu of course,” he looked at her discerningly, trying to figure out if she was unaware or just dumb, “You smell like his and I’m not looking to fight a pissed off dragon king for his queen.”</p>
<p>Lucy. Was. Floored. This was either some sick joke or… some sick joke. Only question was- who was playing it? Was it Laxus? Or just the freakin’ universe?!</p>
<p>She stood dumbfounded for a while. Usually a brilliant woman, the words were taking an astronomically long time to process. So many theories and explanations ran through her head. How the hell was she Natsu’s? That made little sense. Did Laxus mean like as a friend? No, she didn’t think he would have any qualms about putting the moves on her if she was. But why-</p>
<p>“LAXUS!” an enraged yell echoed across the guildhall and the party paused in its tracks. The music died, and the people quieted. The entire night stilled in the face of the fire dragon’s fury.</p>
<p>She turned to see Natsu being restrained by Gray and Mirajane. The silverette sent her a panicked look. And Lucy understood the meaning of it far too late. It seemed that even in her strongest takeover, the s-class mage couldn’t stop him. Lucy saw his pink head dart out of both their holds only to be stopped by a fully armored Erza.</p>
<p>“Natsu! Get a hold of yourself!” The redhead shook him, but the man didn’t seem to hear a word, he just raged against her with a madman’s strength.</p>
<p>“I’ll fucking kill him! Get your damn hands off of her, Sparkplug!”</p>
<p>Lucy felt the entire guild spin in her direction, pointedly looking at Laxus’s hand retreating from her side. Nothing was making sense. Why was Natsu losing his mind over them dancing? Sure, he was a violent guy but never unprovoked and never at family. So why?</p>
<p>“Natsu?” his head turned to her for a moment and the look in his eyes scared her. He looked feral and vacant. There was evidently no one home.</p>
<p>The celestial mage only understood parts of what was happening, but she knew that Natsu would never hurt her. So, when he flew from Erza’s grasp with a flaming fist aimed at her dance partner, she stepped in front of the lightening dragon slayer. Some part of her knew that her friend would kill the man if he got to him.<br/>As hoped for, he paused in his tracks, mere inches from her face. His movements had ceased, but his anger was still raging. Her eyes caught movement behind him in the form of Levy. The bluenette was gesturing something to her that looked like… huh? Hug him? She squinted at the petite mage in confusion until the girl mouthed comfort him.</p>
<p>Everything was still so confusing, but it couldn’t hurt to try. The blonde slowly raised her hands to cup his face.</p>
<p>Erza moved to step in. Presumably, to knock some sense into his ass. She shook her head at the requip mage. Something about the calm way Levy instantly knew what to do told her that the solid script mage understood what was going on so the blonde would take her advice for now.</p>
<p>They were given a wide berth as the fire dragon slayer stiffened at her touch. His eyes seemed to roll over in his head before his body slumped like cut string. The anger drained out of him as she slowly stroked his cheeks and moved in to wrap her arms around his neck.</p>
<p>A soft… purr rumbled through her body from his to hers. The sound was animal like but Sorta… cute.</p>
<p>“Lucy,” his voice sounded calmer now, so she pulled back slightly to see his face.</p>
<p>“Natsu? You okay?” The blonde watched his consciousness filter back into his eyes. Then he bent his head down and buried his face into her bosom and took deep heaving breaths while clutching at her waist like a touch-starved koala. </p>
<p>A bit surprised at the movement, she almost missed him speaking into her boobs. Face red with embarrassment and trying not to meet anyone’s eyes, she whispered back to him.</p>
<p>“What was that?”</p>
<p>Another deep breath. Just what the hell was he smelling there?</p>
<p>“He touched you” she didn’t have to ask who he was. She elected not to mention his name but asked, “Mmm… why did that make you so angry, Natsu?”</p>
<p>His voice got growly. Like a dangerous, petulant child.</p>
<p>“Cuz… he touched you. You’re mine, so no one is supposed to touch you. Especially him.” He spat the last word like it burned his tongue to say it.</p>
<p>Lucy processed this. Allowed the words to place themselves in an order that made sense, but no matter how she spun it, she just got more and more pissed off.</p>
<p>Her small hands wrapped around his arms, or attempted to rather, and she pulled him up so he was standing over her once more.</p>
<p>“Excuse me?”</p>
<p>No answer was forthcoming, so the woman assumed she was right. And she wasn’t pleased.</p>
<p>Smack! The slap echoed throughout the guildhall, and there was an audible gasp somewhere to her right. It must’ve been a shock to the rest of her family. No doubt they could see the tears in her eyes and the distress in her shaking arm.</p>
<p>Natsu’s face barely colored from the hit, but the shock of it had spun his head to the side.</p>
<p>“Fuck you,” she was mad, so mad. And while the proper bred lady in her demanded that she not air their grievances in the open, the rambunctious Fairy Tail mage inside acknowledged that this wasn’t the open. This was family, and while the source of her anger was personal, she would need their support after this.</p>
<p>“Fuck. You. Natsu,” she poked him the chest with every word, “You don’t get to reject me over and over again then decide that I can’t stop loving you.”</p>
<p>Her voice shook. “You can’t keep me but not want me. That’s not fair, you asshole. So. Fuck You!”</p>
<p>Tears were rolling down her face at this point, and she felt so ashamed and… so upset at him. He remained quiet in shock, so she opted to rush out of the guild as fast as she could before he could reply.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 4: Temperament</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The guild hall was uncharacteristically quiet. Not a soul moved or spoke. It seemed everyone was waiting with bated breath for Natsu to react in some way.</p>
<p>When he finally did, the building seemed to sigh in relief. The pink-haired man strode out after Lucy with his head down, fists clenched tightly. He was wound tighter than a two dollar watch but managed to keep his explosive personality in check as he exited the guild hall.</p>
<p>Erza and the rest of his team moved, maybe to stop or join him, but they were surprisingly prevented from leaving the building by Gajeel of all people.</p>
<p>“What is the meaning of this, Gajeel? Move!” Erza demanded. Happy tried to fly by sneakily but was caught by his tail by the iron dragon slayer.</p>
<p>“None a ya’ busybodies are going anywhere. This is private business between a slayer and his mate. Ya got that?!” Levy meekly nodded in agreement beside him; her face suffused in a rosy blush.</p>
<p>Gray stepped forward with a narrow look, “Explain.”</p>
<p>“I ain’t gotta tell you squat, ice princess. If Natsu wants any of you to know, he will. Now but out,” the long-haired raven took on a defensive stance as he got into a stare-down with the ice-make mage. Neither man was backing down. They both seemed to be trying to cow the other into submission with the mere ferocity of their gazes.</p>
<p>“Leave ’em be,” Laxus spoke up. The attentions of both fighting parties turned to him. “I don’t know what exactly has Salamander’s panties in a twist but I know that you do not want to get in his way right now. Trust me.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Why the hell should we?” Gray countered, “Besides, wasn’t he trying to tear you a new asshole just now? What’s up with that?”</p>
<p>The lightening dragon slayer seemed to contemplate the question. “I’m not sure but I know this,” he met Gray’s eyes with a stare that dared the other man to challenge his words, </p>
<p>“He smelled like a desperate, cornered animal. Unless your name is Lucy, you don’t want to be there when he finally lashes out.”</p>
<p>The seriousness and confidence in his tone left no room for argument. They all worried over their friends’ well-being, but saw the merit of staying the hell out of it- for now.</p>
<p>------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</p>
<p>Natsu’s feet had carried him from the Guildhall at a slow pace, but once his shoe hit the pavement he took off at a dead run. His instincts were going haywire, but he somehow knew exactly where Lucy was going. He caught whiffs of her scent here and there in the cool Magnolia night air.</p>
<p>The woman hadn’t gotten far seeing as she was walking. He caught up to her right as she turned the corner to head towards the East Forest.</p>
<p>The dragon slayer opened his mouth to call out to her, but resisted at the last minute. There was no reason to warn her before he could explain himself. </p>
<p>He was right on top of her before she noticed his presence. Her eyes narrowed in such disdain he almost turned back. But no, he couldn’t leave things as they were. He didn’t know how to explain it, but he would.</p>
<p>“Lucy.”</p>
<p>She at least gave him the courtesy of stopping and facing him. Her eyes were red and puffy, and he could make out mostly inaudible sniffles. Tear tracks marred her skin, and he felt the pain in her eyes like a punch to the gut.</p>
<p>“Lucy I’m… I’m so sorry!”</p>
<p>The celestial mage straightened her back and balled her fists as if preparing for battle.</p>
<p>“Sorry for what, Natsu? For treating my heart like a toy or for embarrassing me tonight?”</p>
<p>Her arms shook, but her gaze was as steady and unwavering as Fiore’s bedrock.</p>
<p>“You don’t understand. I don’t get why I lashed out like that. I don’t understand why I can’t stand it when anyone touches you. I don’t get… these… dreams. Dammit!” He was confused and hurting his friend, but he didn’t know how to fix it. By the look on her face, he was making a mess of things even more.</p>
<p>Lucy turned away and wrapped her arms around herself.</p>
<p>“Natsu, I love you.”</p>
<p>Sage green eyes widened in shock. His mouth moved, but no words escaped. </p>
<p>The blonde smiled disparagingly. “So, you really didn’t know, huh?” When the man remained quiet and unmoving, she flicked her eyes in his direction, “I’ve loved you for almost as long as I’ve known you and now you’re telling me I belong to you… like some trinket. But I’m not allowed to have you?”</p>
<p>Her already feeble smile wobbled, and she bit down on her lip harshly to hold back the oncoming torrent of tears. “I understand, Natsu. I’m family, but I’m not a woman to you.”</p>
<p>He finally reacted to that. “No, no, no, no! You’re not getting it, Luce!”</p>
<p>At the end of his rope, he walked over and folded her into his arms. Her hands pressed against his chest, trapped as they were between their bodies. The man held her hip in one hand and her hair in another.</p>
<p>“This is how I feel about you.”</p>
<p>Then he dipped his mouth and ravaged hers like a beast. He didn’t have any experience with kissing, but he just knew that he wanted to taste her, to map out every crease and crevice of her body and commit it to memory. He plundered her mouth like an invading barbarian. Then took her gasp and licked along her own tongue lewdly. Natsu’s fangs bit and bruised her lips as he took her like a starving man.</p>
<p>They pulled apart, breathing heavily, only for him to dive back in before Lucy could get her bearings. His hand tightened in her hair as he pulled her head back to better access that soft, plush mouth. The dragon felt starved the more he kissed her. It felt like a curse. To continue eating this delicacy but never truly be sated.</p>
<p>The blonde apparently decided to join in. She gripped him by the edges of his vest and pulled his body into hers even more. Her kiss had considerably more finesse. Though, Natsu was sure it wasn’t due to practice. Some latent part of himself had made sure that no one had gotten close enough to touch her so intimately. Regardless, she kissed him just as fiercely. </p>
<p>Lucy moaned sweetly when he nibbled at her lip and ran his hand up her side to brush his calloused thumb over the soft top of her breast. The moan emboldened him, and the said hand squeezed the entire mound brutally. She gasped and undulated against him.</p>
<p>The fire mage felt a flame like no other boil in the base of his cock as she raised a leg to hitch onto his hip. The hand in her hair quickly abandoned the task to grasp at her bare thigh. He was so close to the heat between her legs now that he was actually sweating.</p>
<p>Another squeeze of her breast and she bucked into him. Her core collided with the hardness concealed in his pants and the move brought a groan from the pit of his belly. </p>
<p>“Mmm… Fuck Lucy,” he murmured against her lips.</p>
<p>“Natsu,” she moaned. Her hazy eyes met his and he could see the love and devotion there. It knocked him back to his senses and reminded him what it is he wanted to show her.</p>
<p>Natsu walked her backwards until they hit a tree at the beginnings of the East Forest. As soon as they stopped, he placed his other hand into the crook of her standing leg and pulled it up on the other side of his waist. The blonde tittered off balance for a moment, but quickly wrapped her arms around his neck. The new position squarely placed his groin between her legs, so it only took a small thrust for him to bump into her rapidly wetting pussy.</p>
<p>That set him off. He thrust against her once more and received a soft cry for his troubles. “N-Natsu, mm… please.”</p>
<p>The request made him mad. Here he was trying to show her the kind of animal he’d become, but she was enjoying it.</p>
<p>The pinkette growled and rammed his hips into hers so hard the tree shook and leaves rained down on them. Lucy cried out. He thought she was finally realizing how terrifying his desires were, but she only leaned in to lick his lips and rocked into him.</p>
<p>“Natsu… more.”</p>
<p>Fuck! Why was she so freakin’ sexy!</p>
<p>The dragon slayer repeated the action and kept going. To any outsiders it would look like they were frantically fucking with how ferociously he was thrusting against her cunt. The celestial mage let out a steady stream of yes, yes, fuck yes ‘s and met every one of his brutal thrusts with equal fervor.</p>
<p>He slid his hands from her thighs to ass and used this new leverage to pull her into him. By some devil’s luck his hands had slid up underneath her skirt, so he was met with the feel of her warm, soft skin. His fingertips brushed against a line of cloth trailing between her round ass cheeks. Curious, he followed the line down until his fingers started slipping in a copious amount of slick fluid.</p>
<p>Her breath stuttered, and despite this being his first time, he instantly knew what that fluid was.</p>
<p>“Fuck, you’re wet.”</p>
<p>The words aroused and confused him. She was that turned on by his barbaric display just now? </p>
<p>She blushed and caressed his face. “Why wouldn’t I be? The man I love says this is how I feel about you and then tries to screw me through our clothes. Natsu, I couldn’t be happier.”</p>
<p>Shit, he really was mucking this up. He needed to explain before he completely lost himself.</p>
<p>The dragon stepped back from his mate and allowed her slide down into a standing position. She turned questioning eyes up at him as he fought not to stick his still damp fingers into his mouth.</p>
<p>“Lucy, I was so out of control just now, doesn’t that scare you at all?”</p>
<p>She tilted her head, confused, “Why would it, Natsu? It’s not like you’d ever hurt me.”</p>
<p>He took another step back and valiantly wiped his fingers on his pants. No doubt, he’d try to eat them later.</p>
<p>“That’s just the thing, Luce. I don’t know that anymore. I lose my mind when I’m around you. I don’t know that I won’t hurt you by mistake.”</p>
<p>“You’d never hurt me.” She seemed more convinced of that one thing than him and everyone else in the world. It was frustrating. She wasn’t getting it.</p>
<p>He barreled back into her space and grabbed her by the shoulders. “No! Listen, dammit!” A dark look settled on his face. “I spend my nights thinking about doing things to you. Awful things just so I can see you cry. Because that’s the kinda shit that turns me on these days.” His hands tightened. “I dream of fucking you till you cry and beg me to stop and in the best of these dreams I don’t. I keep going, and you cry, and scratch, and kick at me, but you’re also so fucking wet and delicious that I can’t. I think about biting and bruising your pretty skin all the time. I think about leaving my handprints all over your body. Your thighs, hips, ass, waist, anywhere. Everywhere.”</p>
<p>Her face was a frightening shade of red. She almost looked feverish. He could hear her heartbeat picking up with every word, but it didn’t sound scared. If anything, with her eyes dilated like that and the sweetest aroma permeating the air, he could see that his little explanation only made her wetter and even more irresistible.</p>
<p>“I still don’t think you’d ever hurt me. It just sounds like you l-like wild love-making.”</p>
<p>“Fucking,” he corrected.</p>
<p>“Huh?”</p>
<p>“It’s wild fucking. Not love-making. Because there wouldn’t be any love involved.” Now that seemed to scare her. Finally, it was getting through.</p>
<p>“I love you, Lucy. You’re my friend so of course I do,” he’d only reminded her of his affection to soften the coming blow but by the look of abject despair on her face, it only did the total opposite.</p>
<p>“You’re my best friend, but suddenly my body is telling me that you’re not. I don’t see a friend when I look at you now, Luce. I see someone to be owned and coveted like- like fuckin’ treasure or some shit. It’s stinking biology, nothing more.” He rose his nose to the air, trying to describe the effects of her scent on him as best as he could. “You smell like… like if I fuck you, you’ll get pregnant more easily than anyone else in this world. Like ripe fruit. And that has been fucking with my senses for months now.”</p>
<p>He was a known idiot, but even he could tell that she was embarrassed.</p>
<p>“So, I’m like an object of lust for you now… nothing… more?”</p>
<p>He sighed. “Yeah, I think so. I definitely don’t think of you the way I did before. I’m sorry, Lucy.”</p>
<p>The pretty blonde pulled away from his grasp. “No, I’m sorry, Natsu. For throwing myself at you just now, like some… harlot. When you’re trying so hard not to disrespect me as a friend.” She stepped back even further and presented a watery smile. </p>
<p>“I really do get it now. I’m sorry you’ve been struggling like this for so long. Um, maybe talk to Gajeel. See if he can help?” she offered him some hollow kindness. “I’ll just stay out of your way until you do.”</p>
<p>“No way!” he grinned boisterously. Lucy finally got it, and she wasn’t mad. She was the freakin’ best! “I’m not asking that metal head for squat. I’d rather at eat Juvia’s cooking.”</p>
<p>The female mage smiled and gave a quiet chuckle. “Yeah.” She turned away, “Well, I’m going home now. See ya.” </p>
<p>The scent of saltwater lingered in the air. But he couldn’t tell if it was just leftover tears from before. She seemed pretty chill, now right?</p>
<p>“Hey Luce?” his expression sobered up. “We’re good, right?”</p>
<p>She laughed and waved as she walked off, “So good, Flamebrain. Bye, Natsu.”</p>
<p>------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</p>
<p>The next day started just the same as all the others had that week. Bright. The sun was shining, and the birds sang sweetly by Lucy’s windowsill. She could hear the friendly fishermen nearby shouting neighborly greetings to the land folk. Magnolia was alive and thriving. All of this could be heard from her little second-floor apartment. But none of it brought the usual smiles and happiness it used to.</p>
<p>Her place felt as tired and bone-weary as she was. Inside those four walls, the celestial mage existed in a whole other plane by herself. And that was okay, really, because she had no intention of leaving that room for the foreseeable future. She didn’t think she could be strong anymore. Not for a very long time.</p>
<p>The blonde uncurled from her sitting position by the front door. She’d collapsed there last night as soon as the door closed and just couldn’t find the energy to get up. So, Lucy spent the night with her head tucked between her upraised legs, not crying, but she hadn’t slept either.</p>
<p>Joints protested with loud creaks and groans as she stretched out to her full height. Further stretching eased the stiffness some. Still numb legs took her into the bathroom, where she undressed quickly and quietly and took a shower. The water felt too hot and too cold all at once. Nothing could cool the strange heat in her skin this morning, and nothing could warm the ice-cold feeling underneath it. Boy, this heartbreak sure felt like sickness. She managed a chuckle. Imagine that, her body got sick from her heart being broken. She’d never been able to do anything half-assed, but this sure took the cake. Another sardonic smile. Then a weak congratulations, Lucy. </p>
<p>At least now she was clean. The woman dragged on the first thing in her closet upon leaving the bathroom. It just so happened that it was her regular nightwear of a white t-shirt and a pair of blue pajama bottoms with little brown teddy bears all over. Just as she finished dressing, her eyes caught on a sheer pink lingerie set in the back. Lucy pulled it out and inspected the miniscule gown. Her clenched fists wrinkled the material as she realized which one it was. She’d bought it for her plans to sway the immoveable Natsu Dragneel. <br/>It’d done its job at the very least. Though from what he’d said the night before, he hadn’t needed much swaying.</p>
<p> And just like that, she ripped the material right down that middle. Shhripp! The sound felt cathartic, and for the first time in the last eight hours, the knot in her heart unclenched just a little. So, naturally, she pulled out the next piece of revealing clothing she’d purchased to catch a man that sorely did not want to be caught.</p>
<p>Rippp! Another knot loosened. Again! </p>
<p>Sshrippp! Another piece demolished.</p>
<p>Damn, that felt good!</p>
<p>Rip! Rip! Rip! She tore through many lingerie sets, even the ones that were bought just for her, with no one else in mind. They were just so easy to destroy. </p>
<p>When they all laid in tatters by her feet, she briefly turned to the regular clothes in her closet. Strong as she was, the mage found that they wouldn’t rip as easily and worked herself into a red-faced frustration.</p>
<p>“Ughh!”</p>
<p>She swung around angrily and painfully knocked her elbow into the chest of drawers beside her closet. The force of the blow made her joint throb, but it also sent one of her snow globes tittering off the edge and to the floor. For a split second, she entertained the idea of trying to catch it, but the item landed with a loud crash before she could make a move.</p>
<p>The knot loosened.</p>
<p>This set her sights on all the other breakables in her apartment. First it was the vase beside where the globe used to be. She sent it careening into the wall with a strong-armed throw. The glass shattered, and a few splinters caught her neck and cheeks. Adrenaline, or maybe losing her fucking mind, made her numb to the cuts. She decimated the perfume bottles next. Their sickly sweetness mixed together to make a repugnant concoction that caused her to stagger back in a fit of sneezing.</p>
<p>As soon as the smell cleared, she noticed her eyes were watering but disregarded that to swing at the plentiful breakables in her line of sight.</p>
<p>“Hah!” a potion bottle.</p>
<p>“Agh!” a figurine.</p>
<p>“Gah!” Gray’s face.</p>
<p>“Lucy!” She jumped at the loudness of his voice as the white noise in her head gave way to sound.</p>
<p>The decorative pot previously perched on her night-stand slipped out of her hand and rolled over to the man, whose face she almost smashed in with it.</p>
<p>“Gray? What’re you doing here?”</p>
<p>Midnight blue eyes took in the state of her home. From the shards of glass collecting by the far east wall -where she’d been throwing shit, to the strips of destroyed fabric sitting at the foot of her still open closet. Having made a full circle, those bewildered eyes settled on her.</p>
<p>“I could ask you the same thing.” He took a single step towards her.</p>
<p>“Please leave!” the shout came out before she could stop it. Before considerate Lucy Heartfilia could filter her words so she didn’t hurt anyone’s feelings.</p>
<p>The surprise on Gray’s face only lasted a moment. He continued walking towards her.</p>
<p>“I’m sorry, Gray. But could you please leave? As you can see, I need to clean up around here,” a weak chuckle left her lips.</p>
<p>He finally stopped. But he was already in her space and could see the cuts on her arms and legs and the long slash in her right cheek. The ice mage spent a moment cataloguing </p>
<p>those wounds before he enveloped her in his arms in an unyielding hug.</p>
<p>She wiggled in his hold but found that it wouldn’t relent.</p>
<p>“Gray…?” more struggling. “Can you please let me go?”</p>
<p>“No.”</p>
<p>The woman struggled now in earnest. She turned and twisted and even smacked and pinched his sides where her arms were trapped.</p>
<p>“I don’t want your pity. Let go, dammit!”</p>
<p>He held firm.</p>
<p>“I’m sorry, Lucy” this was enough to make her pause. </p>
<p>“What?” </p>
<p>He buried his face in her still wet hair, so his voice was muffled but his words were clear.</p>
<p>“I’m so sorry you were hurting for so long, I’m sorry he’s a fucking idiot.” </p>
<p>She flinched. She knew who he was. But how did Gray?</p>
<p> “But most of all, I’m sorry we didn’t notice it.”</p>
<p>All at once, the knots tightened in her chest to the point that it felt like it would kill her. Her throat burned something fierce and her eyes got blurry.</p>
<p>“You weren’t meant to. I made sure of that.”</p>
<p>His hold got tighter. “Anything that hurts one of our friends so much, should’ve been noticed.”</p>
<p>There it was. The straw that broke the camel’s back.</p>
<p>She let out a loud wail and clung to him like white on rice as she bawled and bawled and bawled. His cool skin felt exceptionally great on her heated one, so she snuggled even deeper into his embrace and cried so more. The dam just broke and no matter how hard she tried, the tears wouldn’t stop. She choked on her own hiccups and attempts to speak. To defend her selfish actions.</p>
<p>“Gr-Gray… It h-hurts. I-it hurtsss so fucki-ing much!”</p>
<p>No doubt his chest was drenched in snot and tears. But the man held on. He held onto Lucy like his life depended on it. And he kept holding until her loud bawls became hiccups. He held on until those hiccups became cries. He held onto his family until her heart didn’t feel so tight anymore.</p>
<p>-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</p>
<p>When she’d finally calmed down, the blonde couldn’t meet Gray’s eyes. Over the last several moments, he’d told her multiple times that it was all right, but Lucy still felt like a petulant child for losing it like that. She’d been through fights with demons and dragons, spriggans and fairies, but lost it so completely over a man. That man was Natsu, so he was pretty damn special, but still, as a Fairy Tail mage, she was embarrassed.</p>
<p>“By the way Gray, how did you know?” </p>
<p>He didn’t bother asking about what. The situation in question was already heavily implied. “I didn’t… not really. I suspected something when you went on your last mission, but I didn’t truly know. I just knew what I saw last night in the guildhall and what I saw this morning here. I put two and two together.”</p>
<p>They were sat side by side on her bed. Given the proximity, she knocked into him playfully.</p>
<p>“Thank you.”</p>
<p>His grin was infectious, nothing like Natsu’s, but a rare and beautiful sight all on its own.</p>
<p>“No problem, Lucy.” He got up with a dramatic stretch. “Anyway, I should probably tell you that a few of the girls are coming over.”</p>
<p>“Huh?” the blonde sat up straighter, “Girls? What girls?”</p>
<p>“Well, Mirajane and the others were saying something about coming over to check on you today. I figured I should see if you were up for company first.” She saw the question in his eyes and nodded slightly. There was no doubt in her mind. If she’d said no, he would keep them away, any means necessary.</p>
<p>For the millionth time that morning, she thanked him.</p>
<p> “I’m pretty fortunate, huh?” </p>
<p>He rose an eyebrow in question. Considering the situation, that was a rather odd thing to say.</p>
<p>“How do you figure?”</p>
<p>“I’m fortunate to have friends like you, Gray”</p>
<p>The demon slayer pinked at the praise and brushed it off. “Not friends,” he murmured, “Family.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Sore Muscles</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hey all!<br/>I have been so busy with exams that I completely forgot to post this chapter three weeks ago. I'm working on new chapters and with no online classes or school for the forseeable month, I'll be back to my regular updates. Yay!<br/>Thank you so much for all the support this story has been getting so far. I'm thrilled by each and every comment and kudos.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>This had to be payback. Judgement. Retaliation. Punishment. Natsu must have pissed off a female deity at some point in his life. Or maybe it was because he'd so carelessly violated the most sacred of all bonds last night. His friendship with Lucy. But either way, this was cruel and unusual punishment.</p><p>Objectively, he knew what was happening to his body. Igneel had warned him about this. But it didn't make the process any more bearable. He'd been burning up all morning. It was a strange and supremely uncomfortable feeling. At some point, he'd thrown his sheets from the bed, wondering why they weren't ashes already. The metaphorical fire under his skin was so hot that the house should have been in flames by now. But it was just him.</p><p>He'd sweat through his clothes so those had to go too. Which left him stark naked on a sheet-less bed on this lovely Magnolia morning.</p><p>The phenomenon, he was currently enduring, used to be called 'heat'. The name had changed since the dragons were around but most still knew it as that. Some scholarly bunch had renamed the process to some fancy new terminology that he couldn't be bothered to remember. The term was inaccurate to some but Natsu felt that it was very much justified in his case.</p><p>See, most dragon slayers experienced this feeling, but it wasn't always hot or even feverish. What really happened was that the magic inside their bodies went haywire and turned on them. So, in Natsu's case his fire was trying to burn him from the inside out. For Example, for a slayer like Wendy, she'd have difficulty breathing considering her element of air. Their greatest strength would become their greatest weakness.</p><p>Not to mention the fucking mindless arousal. He knew that it wouldn't kill him, but it would come very close to doing so if he didn't rectify it. Herein lied the problem. A dragon (or dragon slayer in this case) couldn't enter 'heat' unless they'd swapped bodily fluids with their chosen mate. Seeing as his tongue was throat deep inside Lucy's mouth the previous night, they'd certainly 'swapped bodily fluids'.</p><p>Now, his mate was supposedly designed to be the ying to his yang. So, theoretically, she could put out the fire. But only if he gave into his depravities and defiled her six ways to Sunday.</p><p>The guys at the guild were always talking about the things they did to the women they had sex with and Natsu wanted no part of that. He couldn't forgive himself if he <em>'stretched Lucy so wide she cried'</em> or <em>'pressed inside so deep, she felt it in her tummy'</em> or the one that bothered him the most: <em>'drilling her hard enough that she was sore and bedridden for days'</em>. All those things sounded like they would seriously hurt Lucy. And he didn't want that. No matter how loudly the animal inside him cried out that he did.</p><p>He was a monster for even being turned on by those things. Lucy was his precious best friend. He'd promised to protect her. Even from himself. No way would he desecrate their bond like that. Not again. The slayer had done enough damage last night by losing control of himself like that. Natsu had promised himself that he wouldn't touch her. But he did. And it had felt so fucking good.</p><p>The thought made him groan and twist uncomfortably. She'd felt so soft to the touch, so delectable like an impossibly delicious fire. And her taste! Mavis help him, her taste would forever be imprinted on his taste buds and nothing would satisfy him ever again. Natsu valiantly tried not to think of the aroma of her arousal, or the honeyed sweetness of her moans, or, gods forbid, the flush in her cheeks and need in her voice.</p><p>He tried not think of those things.</p><p>He really did.</p><p>… not really.</p><p>The pinkette had already jerked off to the scene in his head 9 times in the last 3 hours. Not to mention the party he'd had in the shower the night before. Luckily, Happy was caught up in another one of his long-term schemes to woo Carla and was consequently, mostly at Fairy Hills these days. Because there was no way the little exceed wouldn't have overheard his… enthusiasm that night and the proceeding morning.</p><p>His dick actually felt chafed. The fire mage didn't have soft hands by any measure and his continuous rough strokes left his member red and painful to the touch. Though, to be fair, the redness could be attributed to his intense arousal. The sweat was getting to be a bit much as well. And the fullness in his balls was beyond uncomfortable. Even with having some kind of knowledge of what going on, he still couldn't believe that he had more cum to give. It was all so frustrating and… frustrating!</p><p>It was pretty early, but he already needed another nap. In this particular season, all his body wanted to do was eat, sleep and fuck. Not even fighting appealed to him right then. Though he felt that he would jump at any chance to burn off the excess energy and tension. But he knew that unless that chance was called Lucy Heartfilia, it would do fuck all to cure him.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>A soft knock sounded at the door as the celestial mage was about to get up to show Gray out. The look in his eyes told her that it was their impending guests.</p><p>Lucy conjured up a smile right out of the <em>bullshit-box</em> located somewhere beside the <em>I-gotta-be-strong-for-my-friends </em>box in the back of her head. She let it filter into her voice as she called out to the nervously shuffling women.</p><p>"Come in, it's open."</p><p>Juvia's head poked in first. Followed by Mira, Cana, Evergreen, Erza, Lisanna, and of course, Levy.</p><p>She'd only really expected about three out of the seven. So, one could imagine her shock at having her little space fill up with so many mages.</p><p>"Oh wow, hey guys. What're you all doing here?" They looked at each other shiftily. No rambunctious response. The bevy seemed to be all contemplating how diplomatically they could tell her the truth. Lucy didn't like it.</p><p>Juvia spoke up in that soft, gracious way of hers, "Juvia and the others were wondering about your well-being after…" she appeared reluctant to answer. Instead, turning to Cana, for help.</p><p>The brunette breathed a put-upon sigh as she responded "…After what we saw with that bozo, Natsu, last night."</p><p>Ah. She knew why they were here, but it looked as if no one wanted to bruise the evidently already-wounded girl by making any careless statements about the event that transpired in the guildhall. So, here they were. Mighty, fearless, Fairy Tail mages, treating another one of their own with kid gloves.</p><p>Lucy really didn't like it.</p><p>Contrarily, the woman appreciated the effort they were making for her. But at the same time, it made her feel like… less, somehow. She'd already felt like a total idiot for losing her shit so completely before. And with this new fragile treatment, she felt even more misplaced and unsure. Juvia hadn't even called her 'Love Rival'.</p><p>That wouldn't do at all.</p><p>In a move meant purely to provoke the water mage, Lucy slinked her arms around Gray's chest from behind and leaned onto her very tippy toes to peck him on the cheek.</p><p>"Juviaaa! I'm sorry, but I'm stealing Gray away. He's too nice!"</p><p>The man became exceedingly hot as blood rose to the surface of his cool skin. "He-Heyy!" He twisted his head towards, thusly, dislodging her intimate hold. The demon slayer mage suddenly became aware of the dramatic drop in temperature that wasn't due to him.</p><p>Both he and Lucy watched as the rainwoman's face darken with a fierce glare.</p><p>"Love rival!" her scream rattled the beams in the ceiling, "I knew it! I knew you were trying to steal my Gray-sama away!"</p><p>"Juvia, wait…!" she didn't bother hearing him out. The long haired bluenette wrapped Gray up her arms like a small and child and whisked him out of the building at break-neck speed.</p><p>Lucy could make out the words <em>'you'll never have him love rival!'</em> somewhere in the distance as the two disappeared.</p><p>The blonde doubled over in a fit of giggles and after a moment the others joined in too. As the laughter slowly died down, Cana blew in with two wine bottles tucked under each arm and two in each hand.</p><p>"Told ya' kooks she was fine," the card mage seemed unfazed by the destroyed half of her apartment. Instead she just settled on the ground by the untouched coffee table and placed her bounty there. The familiar pop of the wine cork preceded its familiar sweet and tangy aroma.</p><p>"Alright, I'm here to get drunk, get them drunk," she pointed the open end of the bottle at the mass of woman still standing in her doorway. "and to get you <strong>wasted. </strong>You're allowed to. Trust me." Here the bottle found her in a haphazard swing.</p><p>Lucy smiled. She noted that it was barely pass ten. But to be fair, that was late for Cana. It looked like the brunette had been waiting for her to begin.</p><p>That was probably the most touching thing anyone had ever done for her.</p><hr/><p>After an hour of small talk and avoiding the proverbial elephant, Mira finally got around to asking her what happened with Natsu after they left. Lucy was a little hesitant to share the details but eventually figured that this impossible situation was bigger than her anyway. Maybe these more experienced women could let her know what to do.</p><p>So, after making Erza promise not to cut off Natsu's balls, she'd begun her tale of woe.</p><p>The bottles were dwindling, and Cana wasn't the only culprit for once. They were <strong>smashed</strong>. And it didn't take much considering that there was plenty of leftover alcohol in their systems from the night before.</p><p>"He said that?!" Lisanna yelled. She was the second most coherent of the group. Though, on a scale of one-to-ten of drunkenness, she was a solid seven.</p><p>"Yeah!" Lucy hiccupped. "Then he said th-that he didn't love me li-like that… he only wanted to fuck me like-like some some…" the word eluded her.</p><p>"Whore!" Evergreen filled in indignantly. The self-declared fairy queen was in a state of undress. Her dress was somewhere above them on the bed and she was sprawled out on the floor with the rest of them, clad only in her bra and panties.</p><p>"What a-a jerk. Jerkface Natsu!" Levy yelled to someone apparently in the ceiling.</p><p>Mira and a barely tipsy Cana was busy holding down a flush faced Erza. She whined and wiggled like a rowdy kitten. But the alcohol had sapped away her energy. Otherwise nothing could have stopped her from ramming her sword up Natsu's ass.</p><p>"L..mme-Lemme at," hiccup, "Lemme at him! I'll kill that numbskull," her words were slurred and barely audible amongst her quiet mutterings and hiccups. But they got the gist. Natsu would be a dead man if she wasn't so inebriated.</p><p>Lucy's mood suddenly swung from righteous anger to despair. Her lips wobbled as her eyes teared up above ruddy cheeks.</p><p>"G-Guyssss?!" the group sat up at bit straighter at the change in demeanor. They took in her hunched seating and the incredibly red colour of her skin. It seemed a bit much for just an alcohol flush. Her breathing was uneven. With a quiet sort of hyperventilative sound.</p><p>The group looked on in abrupt sobriety.</p><p>"What-what should I do?" her brown eyes were threatening a storm of tears, but she bravely sniffled and swallowed back the gargantuan lump of emotion perilously close to regurgitation along with all the consumed spirits.</p><p>"Oh dear," Mira walked over with a kind smile and leaned down to press their foreheads together. She missed a few times but eventually got the alignment right with a little giggle.</p><p>"Just what I expected," for a drunk person, the silverette sure was being articulate. Those big sister instincts seemed to be able to override anything.</p><p>Their she-devil's finely shaped eyebrows were wrinkled in worry. "It looks like you have a fever, Lucy. A really high one."</p><p>The girl in question, panted slightly with a pained expression taking over her face. The fever seemed of no concern as her mind was weighed down by her most urgent worry. Her relationship with Natsu.</p><p>The blonde's distress felt palpable to the room's occupants. One of their very own was hurting and they couldn't do a thing to help.</p><p>Well… most of them couldn't.</p><p>"Oh, Lulu," Levy snuggled into her friend's side and wrapped slight arms around her waist. "I don't know if this will help but I can at least tell you about Dragon slayer mating."</p><p>The whole room perked up in curiosity. Any word surrounding the dragon slayers were a treat. Despite having four in the guild, very little was known about their draconic instincts and the slayers themselves weren't very forthcoming with the information. So, no one would miss the opportunity to her about any mundane to significant aspect of their lives.</p><p>Lucy returned the hug. Thus, burying the smaller girl's face in her bosom. Levy looked up at her with a warm smile and Lucy suddenly wanted to kiss her. In a platonic yet sexual way. She'd always thought that the solid script mage was a petite beauty but the sudden craving to put her lips on the bluenette's was a little surprising. The celestial mage put that thought away for further analysis at a later date.</p><p>Levy drew back and began her explanation.</p><p>"Gajeel explained as much of it to me as he could but I had to do some research on my own to get my facts in order. As you can imagine it wasn't easy as there are so little resource materials on dragon slayers. Not to mention their mating."</p><p>Lucy nodded sympathetically. As a fellow researcher and book worm, she understood the difficulties of finding any worthwhile or even truthful information about the lost magics and their users.</p><p>The blue-haired woman continued.</p><p>"See, dragon slayers don't just take on the magic of their draconic counterparts. They're also imbibed with their natural instincts and biology. That would explain, for instance, Natsu's incredible sense of smell." She looked around the room at their attentive but unsurprised faces. "But you guys knew that. Where the romantic relationships of dragon slayers are concerned, these instincts guide them towards a select group of people."</p><p>Her eyes bored into Lucy's as she tried to impart her next words with the utmost sincerity. "The slayers don't just have one possible mate. It's not like that. What Natsu said about… being able to…" The flush in her cheeks brightened with the salacious implications of her thoughts. "… ya know, easily im-impregnate you."</p><p>"Easy there, Levy. Slow down or you might pass out," the women giggled at Cana's indulgent remark. The mage in question truly did look like she might collapse under the immense heat in her cheeks.</p><p>She just smiled and carried on. "Anyways, what he said about… <em>that</em>, was actually pretty accurate if not a bit crudely stated and over simplified. There are people in this world that, for no reason I can scientifically discern, are suited to be a dragon slayer's mate. His or her biology aligns to the slayer's magic so well that they tend to attract him or her once both parties have hit maturity. What differentiates the best possible mate of one slayer to the next depends on a number of things including but not limited to magical chemistry, personalities and just those person's feelings."</p><p>Lucy didn't want to interrupt but she desperately wanted to ask Levy if she was one of those special people.</p><p>The other woman seemed to hear her thoughts as she answered the unasked question. "Lulu, you're one of these people. So am I. The only difference is that somehow Gajeel and I line up perfectly biology-wise as well as all the other factors, so his instinct was to claim me as his mate instead of maybe you. For you, you and Natsu must've lined up perfectly as well that's why it's been so hard for him recently to control his baser instincts around you."</p><p>The blonde was in a state of shock to say the least. She knew she and the pink-haired man shared a special bond but had wrongly assumed that it was their doing. Somewhere in the heavens above or wherever, someone decided to put a dragon slayer beacon on her back. And thus far the result wasn't fun.</p><p>Levy could see the hard look of concentration on her friend's face. She was no doubt pondering the same question she did. Surprisingly, Evergreen was the one to voice it.</p><p>"So, wait, you're saying that those two didn't really have a choice? They were like fated?"</p><p>The petite mage smiled and shook her head, as Lucy looked over with that very question peeking out from behind scared eyes.</p><p>"No. I'm not saying that at all. It would've been perfectly possible for Lucy to be mated to another dragon slayer or no slayer at all if she chose."</p><p>She turned to the girl in question, "It wouldn't be a perfect match but as with all relationships you would learn to love them and they you. With perfect mates the draw is a lot more powerful and much harder to resist. Biology basically made your body one of an undetermined amount that can make an unmated slayer react to it se-sexually." Both friends were pink from embarrassment.</p><p>"But it's who you are that makes you such a match for him. He had to have made a conscious decision to make you his mate before now."</p><p>The celestial mage's eyes flickered between joy and sadness. On one hand this new information meant that Natsu really did want her for more than just sex. But on the other hand, it seemed that he'd changed his mind.</p><p>Levy held her hand and squeezed in solidarity.</p><p>The smaller woman sustained. "A slayer can decide who their mate is going to be from a very young age. They just can't act on it until they're old enough for their instincts to confirm that that person is indeed a biological match."</p><p>Both mates had a silent conversation through their eyes.</p><p>
  <em>Ohh, that's why you and Gajeel hadn't gone further.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Yeah.</em>
</p><p>"This was a failsafe to ensure compatibility for k-kids," she cleared her throat, "They usual know this by about 21 to 25 years old. Now, technically Natsu and Gajeel, Wendy too, are more than 400 years old but their bodies had been put on pause for 400 years so they wouldn't have had any actual time to mature. Add the seven years on Tenrou and I'd say the men are about 423 now."</p><p>That's why he couldn't leave," Erza murmured quietly.</p><p>"What was that?" Lisanna asked.</p><p>"During the Fairy Tail tournament, Natsu couldn't leave the guild hall and the only two rules for confinement in Freed's runes, were the stone figures and people over 80," Evergreen answered guiltily. Even now the members of the Thunder Legion were plagued by their mistakes. Though everyone else had forgiven them.</p><p>"Huh, I never even thought of that," Mira mumbled.</p><p>The room seemed to darken with the bad memories. It wasn't a fun time to remember. Fairies fighting against each other would hardly ever be a pleasant thought. Though most of the guild members were over it. No one had forgotten. No one was exempted from the slight tinge of pain from the reminder of those times. Only Lisanna in her absence could declare certain absolution.</p><p>"Why the long face? Have a drink!" Cana said good-naturedly before stuffing the bottle down Ever's throat.</p><p>The woman choked and cursed at the card mage once she was allowed to breathe.</p><p>"You- you…! Ugh!"</p><p>A round of uproarious laughter.</p><p>The method was a bit crude. But the objective was achieved. Lucy noted the look of self-hate vanishing from the bespectacled woman's face. Her friends really were amazing.</p><p>"If I am understanding this correctly," Erza spoke up in that stern voice of hers. Seemed the alcohol was wearing off. That did not bode well for Natsu. "Lucy is Natsu's mate by design but also by option. Long and short is those two chose to love each other and that resulted in a bond being formed, tying her to him. Is that correct?"</p><p>Her gray eyes bore into Levy's with a fierce look. The woman was splayed out on the ground with only an elbow to prop her up and a raised knee supporting an arm deadened by liquor, but the Fairy Queen still made for a picture of fearsome retribution.</p><p>The bluenette knew that the look was for Natsu but still could only squeak out a scared <em>Yes!</em></p><p>"I see. Will he ever be able to move on to another mate?"</p><p>The blonde felt her heart plummet. She hadn't even though about that. Given Levy's explanation, it should be a possibility. A possibility that she would lose Natsu forever.</p><p>A searing pain cut at the bottom of her belly. Like a disembowelment, but worse.</p><p>"It's okay Lucy," she didn't realise that the room had fallen out of focus. Levy's blur was rubbing her shoulders while the others fluttered around her nervously.</p><p>Her sight slowly returned in increments.</p><p>Erza looked afflicted by the strange scene. "Oh Mavis, I'm so sorry Lucy. I didn't mean to imply…"</p><p>"It's okay, Erza," the blonde turned to Levy, "What the hell was that? I felt like I was dying just now."</p><p>"That would be that answer to Erza's question. You've been pair bonded to Natsu for months now. At this point, there is no one else in the world for him. But I suppose with immense effort you could theoretically sever the tie on your end and be free to love another. It would hurt a great deal more than the sensation just now. But you could and would eventually have to if he doesn't guide you through Devium Essentia."</p><p>"Devium Essentia?" Mira asked. The question glimmered in the eyes of all the curious Sallys in the room.</p><p>"First, let me explain the pair bond. It's like a pre-stage to the big D.E. In this stage the dragon has chosen a mate, and the mate has accepted. If another man, worse dragon slayer, so much as looked at you right now, Natsu would kill him wouldn't second thoughts."</p><p>Well, that was a scary sentiment.</p><p>"Now after the pair bond comes Devium Essentia. It used to be called heat. And from that name alone you should understand what exactly happens in this period."</p><p>"Yeah!" Cana piped up, "You fuck like bunnies."</p><p>Levy giggled, and Lucy's breath hitched.</p><p>"Pretty much. It's not a physical heat, but a deep longing for your mate. For each slayer it's different, but considering that Natsu is a fire dragon his would literally be a burning heat. Once a slayer and his mate swaps 'affection', otherwise known as bodily fluids, Devium Essentia starts. In fact," she took in Lucy's flushed face and dangerously climbing temperature, "I believe you've started Lu."</p><p>"Huh?!" the girl pressed the back of her hand her forehead. "I thought it was just a fever," she whispered despondently.</p><p>"Sadly, no. I don't know this personally. But I've read that it will be incredibly uncomfortable for you if he doesn't act on his instincts at this time. Oh, and it wouldn't be a good idea to go outside right now. The pheromones you're letting off attract regular men as well. And in this state soon enough, your inhibitions will be low enough that you'll consider taking one or two of them to bed. Worse if they're close to Natsu and thus have his scent on them."</p><p>She thought back to Gray's presence in her apartment earlier and blushed. For once, it was a good thing Juvia whisked him away then. She could only imagine how awkward it would be to be aroused by her brother figure and having him return the favor.</p><p>Lucy allowed all this new information to wash over her. None of it absolved Natsu of his disregard, but at least the pressure on her chest had risen a great deal. She could only guess that the idiot thought she didn't want exactly this. And he also wasn't very keen on change.</p><p>It could be the combination of good company, good wine and good advice but she was feeling really confident. Speaking of which.</p><p>"Thank you, Levy. I think I understand now. But if the pain of the heat and the difficulty of fighting his instincts don't drive him to me, what-what do I do?" she grasped the girl's much smaller hands in hers, "I can-can't lose him." The blonde could hear the panic in her own voice. The absolute desperation at the object of losing Natsu. Because let's be real. She'd never stop loving him and he was strong enough to hold out against doing something that he thought wasn't right. There was no way their friendship could survive the tension and eventual resentment.</p><p>"We now know that there is an actual dick between his legs. Use that against him." Cana took a long swig and continued, "Natsu loves you Lucy but for some, no doubt dumb ass reason, he's convinced himself not to be happy with you. Make him want you so much it's impossible to resist."</p><p>The feverish blonde flushed even deeper. "I've practically thrown myself at him half naked. What more could I do?"</p><p>Evergreen crossed her legs with a victorious smile. "You have a beautiful body darling but you're still a virgin, so you don't know how to use it yet. Skin isn't everything." She gracefully flicked a lock of hair behind her head and lowered her glasses with a sultry look. Everything from her wet lips to messy hair and bedroom eyes was perfectly seductive. Lucy had to admit that she looked incredibly sexy just from the pose and intent alone. "Men are like animals, dragon slayer or not. And when training a wild animal, a balanced push and pull is needed, reward and punishment is also key. This is how you'll get that boy…"</p><p>And so her sexual education began.</p><p>As she's showing the girls out that night, Levy paused in the doorway behind the boisterous bunch.</p><p>"Levy?"</p><p>The smaller woman seemed worried.</p><p>"Remember when I said that slayers took on a lot of their dragon counterpart's abilities and instincts?"</p><p>Lucy nodded.</p><p>"Natsu's is a lot stronger because he got his magic from the fire dragon king. It should be especially difficult for him to ignore this. It could be what's driving him up the wall with a certain heat madness for his mate. Sometimes, it drives them mad. Be careful, Lulu."</p><p>A smile ate up her flushed cheeks. Everything was looking up now. She couldn't help but be hopeful.</p><p>"I will. Thanks Levy."</p><p>They parted with excited smiles and the door shut with a soft click.</p><p>Now to prepare.</p><p>Now that she knew what she did, she saw a lot of Natsu's words in a different light. He feared the change, the new intimacy, and was afraid it would make them different. Lucy would have to show him it wouldn't. Their bond would only become more profound. She would try everything in her new arsenal to make that boy hers.</p><p>The bodacious blonde was the most powerful celestial mage in Fiore. She'd helped to defeat Tartarus, dispatched the Spriggan-12, closed the Eclipse gate and rewrote the book of E. N. D.</p><p>The woman had just forgotten who she was for a moment. But she remembered now. She was Lucy Heartfilia, Fairy Tail Mage.</p><p>And Fairy Tail did not give up.</p><p> </p>
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<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Sexy Sybarites</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Little extra as an apology for taking so long to update. Thank you guys so much for the continued support.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was Day 4 of Lucy’s ‘training’ and the blonde was sexually frustrated enough to jump a Forest Vulcan if the chance ever presented itself.</p>
<p>Each of her friends had something new to teach her and so what should have been one session on the wiles of the human female was becoming a week-long workshop.</p>
<p>Cana thought it was important that she knew how to use provocative language with the right tone. Evergreen taught her how to relay intense desire with just her gaze. Which turned out to be the hardest lesson. With those big browns of hers everything she did with them looked cute. The blonde was determined to master it though before she confronted Natsu.</p>
<p>Mira sought to teach her sexy poses while her sister gave input on how to nonchalantly invade Natsu’s personal space and fluster him. Lucy tried not to think about how the animal take over mage knew that particular tidbit. It always left her with a fire in her belly and the animal instinct to attack. To defend her territory from this poaching female. When she explained the sensation to Levy, the bluenette had assured her that it was a normal reaction for pair bonded mates. Natsu wasn’t fully hers yet so those cavewoman instincts would rise up to make sure he wasn’t stolen away before then.</p>
<p>Erza managed them like a drill sergeant but couldn’t get the flush off her cheeks long enough to add anything. The redhead had only advised her to be confident. Which turned out to be the most crucial piece of information there was.</p>
<p>All was going well until day 4. Surprisingly, her Levy turned out to be the master of seduction. None of the others had the words or expressions that the small bluenette did. It was shocking but sort of not. One couldn’t catch a man like Gajeel by being meek and subtle about her wants.</p>
<p>“No, no, Lu,” Levy came over to her stiff, supine form on the bed. The girl pulled her up to sit then proceeded to settle on her lap. “You gotta show him how much you love and want him without flaunting your … endowments. Like this.”</p>
<p>The script mage threaded her fingers through the tiny, thin hairs at the back of Lucy’s head. The smaller woman’s full lips stretched into a small intimate smile as the other hand splayed out by her mouth on the blonde’s left cheek. Her eyes were dark with lust but sparkled with love and devotion equally. It was a heady and perfect mixture. Without having said a word Levy managed to make her feel like the most loved and desired person in the world. Add a dash of heat and Lucy was turned on as hell.</p>
<p>The blue-haired woman leaned in to brush their noses gently in an eskimo kiss. Her mouth was so close that Lucy could feel the warmth of her breath on her lips.</p>
<p>“I want you,” she breathed. And Lucy believed her.</p>
<p>The blonde imitated the look as best as she could with the persistent heat of the Devium Esssentia settling in the apple of her cheeks. Her eyes were a bit smaller than Levy’s, so she allowed a them to fill up with unshed tears making those stunning peepers shine even in the daylight.</p>
<p>“Take me then,” Lucy breathed right back.</p>
<p>“Fuck,” Cana took in a sharp breath. Distracted enough by the scene to allow her wine bottle to hang limply by her side.</p>
<p>The sound pulled both girls out of their trance. They giggled at each other and at their bewildered friends.</p>
<p>“That was amazing, Lucy!” Lisanna complimented. She seemed so excited that the blonde felt bad for thinking aggressively towards her. The girl did want her and Natsu together.</p>
<p>“My, my Levy. That was exquisite. When did you get so grown up?” Evergreen swung her fan gently back and forth, allowing the slight wind to cool her face.</p>
<p>Said girl popped up from Lucy’s lap with a grin. “Well… I’m a bit less…” she cupped her hands around her perky B cups, “… endowed than you guys. So, I had to learn ways to make myself even more appealing than bra bursting double Ds.”</p>
<p>She scratched her cheek timidly, flushing under the weight of their eyes. “That was before…Um, Gajeel doesn’t think I need all that.”</p>
<p>Mira, ever the glutton for gossip, guided the bluenette to take a seat beside Lucy on the bed as she herself took a seat on her vacant side.</p>
<p>“Speaking of Gajeel, we’ve been so focused on Lucy I forgot to ask, Have you two…?”</p>
<p>The woman’s face went up in flames. That was such a personal question but to be honest, Lucy wanted to hear too. Though, if Levy decided not to share that was fine as well.</p>
<p>Luckily, she did. “Yeah, we have.”</p>
<p>“Well?” Cana prompted. “How was it?”</p>
<p>Erza decided to step in to protect her comrade’s privacy as well as her innocent ears. “Cana that’s rude. Levy you don’t have to…”</p>
<p>The petite woman’s eyes shone in excitement.</p>
<p>“It was soo good!”</p>
<p>Titania gaped. And retreated to her position by the door. Adamantly looking anywhere else but at her friends. It was amusing to see Erza so far out of her depth.</p>
<p>“Oh, Lulu,” the bluenette turned to Lucy with guilt in her eyes, “I wanted to tell you as soon as it happened, but you were having so much trouble with Natsu.”</p>
<p>The blonde smiled. “Thank you for thinking of me Levy. But it’s okay.” She flashed a lecherous grin. “I’d love to hear about how happy Gajeel made you feel.”</p>
<p>“Oh he’s been so gentle,” a little frown crossed Levy’s face, “But sometimes I want..ya know?”</p>
<p>Erza, Lucy and Lisanna didn’t.</p>
<p>“Oh yeah, I know what you mean, babe.” Cana commented with a licentious smirk.</p>
<p>The script mage met the drunk’s eyes in quiet camaraderie. “To get him to be a little…rougher… last time I had to call him...” she said the last word so lowly none of them heard.</p>
<p>Evergreen seemed to sense what it was or had just read her lips. “Ooh, a daddy kink. How marvelously carnal.”</p>
<p>“Hah, don’t you talk little fairy, don’t think I forgot last month in the broom closet.”</p>
<p>Evergreen paled, “Cana, you wouldn’t.”</p>
<p>“Wouldn’t what?” Mira asked misleadingly sweetly.</p>
<p>“Cana, don’t you da...”</p>
<p>“I think it went something like: <em>Oh, Oh yes big daddy! Give it to me more!</em>” the tipsy brunette made sure to accompany the words with lewd moans and a high-pitched tone.</p>
<p>Evergreen glowed so brightly; they could almost see steam rising from her face. Mira seemed unperturbed by this inside look into her brother’s sex life while Lisanna looked like she was about to empty her stomach on Lucy’s pink carpet.</p>
<p>“What about you and Bacchus huh? I hear that liquor makes a man a bit…limp” Ever returned her ribbing with a dirty little smirk. She should’ve known that wouldn’t work on Cana.</p>
<p>“Oh babe, he is the <strong>exception</strong>. Man fucks like it’s his last day on Earth. He just keeps going and going and going and boy does he eat a mean pussy.”</p>
<p>The whole room grew hotter as the women imaged such skill and still blushed at Cana’s vulgar words.</p>
<p>“What about you and Jellal, Erza?” Mira asked.</p>
<p>“What about me and Jellal?” the normally badass Titania seemed a little nervous.</p>
<p>“Oh, you know what we mean, Erza,” Mira giggled in that seemingly harmless way of hers.</p>
<p>“Not that it’s any of your business but we haven’t…”</p>
<p>“Really?” Lucy asked, “He seemed so…enthralled by you the other night.”</p>
<p>The redhead’s left eyebrow twitched. She looked annoyed enough by the situation that the rest of the girls just let it drop.</p>
<p>Another question weighed on Lucy’s mind though from the first time Levy explained dragon mating to her.</p>
<p>“Hey Lev?”</p>
<p>“Mhmm?</p>
<p>“How come you’re not in heat?”</p>
<p>The woman chuckled a bit nervously. “I won’t be. Not until Spring.”</p>
<p>“Huh?” the whole room asked.</p>
<p>Levy just smiled brightly. “Gajeel isn’t a fire dragon so his season isn’t until Spring. Being a fire dragon and all Natsu’s season is fall/winter. I’m not that sure though so you’d have to ask him. But anyway, I had my first heat months ago when we first bonded which is the only time an iron dragon will have a heat outside of Spring so I won’t enter it again until then.”</p>
<p>Lucy murmured a quiet ‘<em>interesting’</em> as she mulled over this new information.</p>
<p>She and Natsu definitely needed to have a talk because despite his noble intentions, she would be affected by his decisions in the long run.</p>
<hr/>
<p>“Hey Jet, Droy, any a ya seen Levy?”</p>
<p>Two-thirds of Team Shadowgear looked up at the barely pleasant looking iron dragon slayer. Despite their back-room trash talking of the man before them, neither mages had the balls to give Gajeel any snark, especially where Levy was concerned.</p>
<p>“Can’t say I have, Gajeel,” Jet answered sullenly. It was afterall the dragon slayer’s job to keep track of their beloved Levy.</p>
<p>Dark eyes switched over to Droy’s head.</p>
<p>“I-I haven’t seen her either,” the plant mage whimpered out.</p>
<p>Displeased by their answers, Gajeel huffed lightly and turned to march away.</p>
<p>It didn’t make any sense staying at the guild then. Because if Levy’s fanboys didn’t know where she was, she most certainly wasn’t at all nearby.</p>
<p>As he began marching back to the entrance, an uncommonly forlorn Elfman piped up with an answer from where he was by the bar.</p>
<p>“She, and all the others I’m guessing, are at Lucy’s house again.” The beast takeover mage gave a pointedly unmanly sigh.</p>
<p>“Again? That’s the fourth time this week,” Gajeel muttered. He understood that Bunnygirl needed her galpals around more often now because of Natsu’s hard headedness but dammit why did he have to suffer for that hothead’s bullshit decisions? He’d barely seen his woman in over a week and judging by the depressed looked on Elfman’s face, he’d barely had contact with Evergreen as well.</p>
<p>“Dammit, this is getting out of hand,” the slayer growled. He and Natsu would be having words. It wasn’t his fault the flamebrain couldn’t get his shit together and claim his woman so why the hell did he have to go without his?</p>
<p>The Iron Dragon slayer gave a nod in acknowledgement to the slumped white-haired mage and marched out of the guild hall.</p>
<p>It was time he and the fire mage had a chat. Dragon to Dragon.</p>
<p> </p>
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<a name="section0008"><h2>8. The Talk</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Ugh! I hate writer's block. Luckily watching Charmed (2018) unstuck me and in planning a Harry x Macy Fanfiction I was unblocked. Yayy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Natsu was sitting outside by the brook that ran through his backyard. His vest was somewhere in the nearby forestry, but he couldn’t be assed to locate it right now. For the first time in more than a week, he didn’t feel like his skin was being burned off his bones. There was still a supremely uncomfortable heat under his flesh, but he’d acclimated enough to find it somewhat bearable. Now if only he could last another week of this.</p><p>His feet were submerged calf-high in the water, wetting the edges of his pants. But the coolness was such a welcome reprieve that he didn’t mind. He’s sure if his father was alive, he’d be ashamed of his conduct. Imagine, a fire dragon who couldn’t take the heat. The thought was laughable, and he would’ve been doing just that if he wasn’t the poor soul in this situation.</p><p>Body propped up on his arms behind him, Natsu flung his head back to rest between them. It was from this position he saw an upside-down and visibly pissed off Gajeel approaching him.</p><p>“Salamander,” the iron dragon grunted out.</p><p>Natsu straightened up and twisted his neck to greet his fellow dragon slayer.</p><p>“Sup Gajeel?”</p><p>The raven bared his teeth in an angry scowl and swung his leg back with a swift and harsh kick, sending the pink-haired man off into the water.</p><p>The fire dragon emerged above surface sputtering and coughing, red-faced in his anger. “The fuck was that about, rustbucket?!”</p><p>Gajeel only glared at him and dropped on the banking, legs folded, and arms crossed.</p><p>“The fuck is about you not claiming Lucy.”</p><p>The loudmouthed mage went curiously silent as he climbed back to his position only now sat beside Gajeel.</p><p>There was a perplexed look on his face.</p><p>“I don’t know what you’re talking about, metalhead.”</p><p>The other man’s left eyebrow twitched, and he raised a hand to knock Natsu on his ass again but refrained…just barely. He was here to talk after all.</p><p>“Don’t play fucking dumb with me, Salamander. I know. Heck, the whole fucking guild knows. So why the hell haven’t you put us all out of out misery and nailed Bunnygirl?”</p><p>A subvocal growl rose from his chest involuntarily and the fire dragon barely held back from punching Gajeel’s face in.</p><p>“Don’t talk about her like that,” he stated fiercely.</p><p>Gajeel rose a pierced eyebrow. “So, you don’t want to fuck her?”</p><p>Natsu aimed a swift punch to the side of his head. The iron dragon was quick enough to evade by leaning back. That, however, didn’t stop him from receiving a kick to the ribs.</p><p>He skidded back several feet on the soft grass and stopped with a small grunt.</p><p>“That was pitiful even for you, flamebrain,” Gajeel said as he dusted off his pants, still seated. The blow only managed to push him away without unseating him.</p><p>“The heat is taking it’s toll. You’re getting weaker.”</p><p>The fire mage glared and snapped, “That’s none a ya fuckin’ business iron dragon! I know what I’m doing!”</p><p>Natsu stood with his fists clenched and shaking in rage and restraint. He really didn’t have the energy right now. But not because he was weak. It was because he didn’t have the strength to hold himself back from probably seriously hurting his comrade. So, the fire mage turned to walk away.</p><p>“Sure, you do, that’s why your mate has been crying and depressed for a week while mine comforts her.” The words were bitter and portrayed exactly how Gajeel felt about him as mate. Of course, he didn’t know what Lucy and the girls were doing but the fact that no one else in the guild had seen hair or hide of her for some time, was telling. The blonde wasn’t happy, and they knew it was Natsu’s fault. It was also his fault when he was here instead of balls deep inside his sexy little mate, Levy. The fire dragon was a deplorable example as a mate and a king of their kind.</p><p>The iron dragon slayer told him as much.</p><p>That made Natsu pause in his tracks. He chose to ignore Gajeel’s disparagement of his character and focused on the first part.</p><p>“What do ya mean Luce’s crying? We spoke just…” he realized he hadn’t seen her in sometime. This, of course, was by design. “Last time we talked she was fine. What the hell happened?”</p><p>The raven got angry on Lucy’s behalf. The level of dumbasstry the girl had to put up with sad and probably the reason why she was MIA. Her mate was either a fucking tool or a complete idiot. His eyes scanned the righteously angry man.</p><p>Complete idiot it was then.</p><p>“She’s upset because she thinks you don’t want her you idiot! And here you are matyring yourself for the sake of a mate who would much rather you be by her side.”</p><p>By now the iron dragon had stood and was inches away from busting Natsu’s ass, dragon king or no.</p><p>“She-She’ll be fine. She just doesn’t understand that I’m doing this for us, for our friendship. I’m not going to defile our bond like that.”</p><p><em>Friendship,</em> the word didn’t feel right on his tongue anymore, Lucy was far more than that to him, but he didn’t know how to reconcile these new feelings with the old. One had to give, and he would be damned if that one was the soul deep bond they’d built over the years of hardships and happiness together.</p><p>Gajeel noted the confliction of his face and sighed an <em>Oh fuck, really?</em> He was beginning to see what was holding the salamander back and it was honestly something he agonized about himself but only for a few minutes not <strong>days.</strong></p><p>“You do know that mating won’t make your bond go away, right?” Natsu raised his head to show him a face creased with worry and furrowed brows.</p><p>The iron dragon slayer realized that Natsu was really still just a kid and the kid was suddenly hit with adult feelings and situations and had no fucking clue what to do.</p><p>He tried to keep the surprised look off his face. It was just a hunch, but he didn’t expect to be so damn right. He’d have to have a birds and bees talk with the kid. The man dropped back into a seated position.</p><p>“Alright, siddown, Salamander. And let me explain.”</p><p>The pinkette moved to refuse. Probably on the basis that he knew already or some such shit but Gajeel wasn’t having it. Clearly, if the idiot understood how mature adult relationships worked all the unnecessary drama could have been evaded.</p><p>So, the iron dragon slayer ignored his protest and punched him in the knee. He watched as the other man buckled and fell on his ass.</p><p>“Now listen carefully…can’t believe I have to do this shit…”</p><hr/><p> </p><p>Lucy’d revised the plan in her head many times. And the more she thought about it, the more she felt like she was losing the nerve to do it. Who the hell did she think she was? What if Natsu really <strong>didn’t</strong> want her? What if she was forcing him into something that he really didn’t want to do? The thoughts pricked at the back of her mind constantly, but the mage pressed on. She had to be sure in her conviction. And it’s not like she intended to jump his bones as soon as she got there.</p><p>The fire dragon slayer had a shit ton of explaining to do. He didn’t get to make this semi heroic-moronic decision that would affect them both, all on his own. After that, if fortune was on her side, she would make him suffer a bit as payback. His words had hurt her dammit and she was petty enough to make him pay for it, even just a little.</p><p>Everything was ready. She was clean and bare of all other scents but her own and her red maxi dress was light and airy and sheer from thigh to ankle, respectable but allowing breeze to skid across her heated flesh. So, eyes bright with determination and fever, she set out for Natsu’s house.</p><p>Levy had warned her to be careful leaving the house in her state. Something about her pheromones affecting other people, even non magic users. But so far, it seemed her fears were unfounded. Sure, she got catcalls and guys stared but that was the usual for her.</p><p>However, her opinions of that were quickly amended. Absolute strangers were taking life-threatening liberties with her by blocking her path, touching her arm and saying crude things in passing whispers despite the Fairy Tail mark on her hand. It seemed like they were a lot braver today. One man even had the balls to grab her hand while she was passing. Thankfully, he promptly let go when she offered to part him and his beloved jewels- and not the kind you spent. His friends looked scared enough not to try their luck. One of them even went as far as dragging his companions away with a mirthful laugh.</p><p>Offended and sickened by his touch, the blonde decided to ere on the side of caution and stick to the main roads. Sure, cutting through the forest would be quicker, considering Natsu lived <em>in</em> it, but the displays on the streets were distressing and uncomfortable enough that the longer route was looking like the more attractive option. Fairy Tail mage or no, going into the forest with so many idiotic men looking for a chance to try their luck was not a good idea. Especially, when it seemed like ‘no’ had lost its meaning to them.</p><p>Longer route it was then. Though she suspected, it wouldn’t be long enough.</p><hr/><p> </p><p>Maybe half an hour later, Lucy pulled up at a little cottage-style building sequestered inside the east forest, laid by the clearest blue stream. The misshapen sign out front read: ‘Natsu and Happy’ in quirky bold letters. She wasn’t at Natsu’s house very often. Heck, <strong>he</strong> wasn’t at his own house often, seeing as he was always barging into hers, but the place was well-kept for a bachelor- from the outside at least.</p><p>She passed by a bed of wildflowers that acted like a fence between the yard space and the rest of the forest. It wasn’t a proper garden by a long shot but the knee-high blossoms were well weeded, watered and fed.</p><p>Huh. Didn’t take Natsu for a gardener. On second thought, the greenery was more than likely Happy’s idea and efforts.</p><p>The blonde realized that she was stalling by the not-garden. Her legs didn’t seem to want to take her any further than where she was. Nerves and fear and arousal were swirling in inconsistent patterns in her mind. Did they really have to talk? Maybe it was all a misunderstanding and she wasn’t Natsu’s mate? That meant they wouldn’t have to talk, right?</p><p>The thought left a sour taste in the back of her throat. Something foul and acrid, like bile, lingered at the base of her mouth and the constant warmth in her belly flared like an angry dragon. No. She knew the truth in her bones. Everything Levy told her, everything Natsu did and didn’t do, led to only one conclusion, they were mates. And it was time he took responsibility for that.</p><p>Lucy balled her fists and began marching towards the front entrance. In her fierce determination the door almost clipped her as it swung out like a loose rocket. Her body recoiled several paces, soundly landing her on her bum in the dirt path.</p><p>“Ow, dammit that hurt. Natsu what the…”</p><p>She took in the sight of pretty young girl exiting Natsu’s cottage. The red head seemed just as surprised to see her sprawled out on the ground.</p><p>“Oh my!”</p><p>“Lucy!”</p><p>The blonde turned slightly, to take in a head of pink behind the girl. A head of pink whose hand just happened to be pressed into the red head’s side quite intimately.</p><p>Lucy was confused. And in her confusion neglected to respond to either of them. The blonde neatly got to her feet and brushed the lingering dust particles off her dress. Luckily, the material was easily brushed clean and she looked up at her supposed mate and his… friend.</p><p>They looked intimate. And the girl, if she remembered correctly was one of the newer members of Fairy Tail. Though the blonde couldn’t recall her name even if she wanted to. Sure, Natsu treated all of Fairy Tail like family but he was usually a little more hesitant with the newer members, until they passed some kind of test in his head. Her dragon slayer, after all, really didn’t like change.</p><p>So, what made him invite this person into his home? The blonde was aware that her lizard brain was talking. She was feeling extremely possessive of Natsu and it made her mind flounder between flattening the imposing little harlot with her fists and kneeing her mate in the balls. She settled for careful civility. The smart, reasonable Lucy inside her demanded that she at least got an explanation before she arrived at conclusions.</p><p>“Hi Natsu,” her voice sounded much calmer than she expected. The surprise made her head twitch back a little. “Who’s this?”</p><p>“Hey Luce, you o…”</p><p>“I’m Kira,” the little girl interrupted, “You’re Lucy! Like <strong>the</strong> Lucy Heartfilia?”</p><p>The woman was a bit taken aback by the girl’s excitement, but she smiled and nodded, nonetheless.</p><p>“Wow amazing. I hear you’re super strong. Thought you’d be prettier though. Seeing as you’re Natsu-sama’s girlfriend and all.” She seemed pouty at that. Like a petulant child being told ‘no’ at the candy shop.</p><p>“Is that so?” the blonde turned to the suspiciously quiet dragon slayer and rose an accusing eyebrow at him. To which he responded by avoiding looking at Lucy at all. “I’m not Natsu’s girlfriend, little one.”</p><p>The girl’s baby blue eyes practically shimmered in happiness as she turned a ruthless and accusatory look on the pinkette. “Really?!”</p><p>Hmm.</p><p>“Really,” Lucy <strike>bared her teeth</strike> smiled tightly.</p><p>“But you should leave now little missy, I have to talk to Natsu about something.”</p><p>“Yeah,” so he does speak. “I’ll see you at the guild Ki…”</p><p>“I’m not a child!” said child turned fierce eyes on Lucy and the woman almost laughed. The girl was perhaps 15, 16 at best. With less than half the experience she had. She was a child.</p><p>Lucy told her as much and watched as she stepped into her space in a what was supposed to be some kind of threatening move.</p><p>“Maybe you’re just old, Lucy. Now go away, Natsu and I were in the middle of something.”</p><p>The celestial mage didn’t often see Natsu get nervous, especially outside of Erza’s presence, but he was nervous then. Practically sweating bullets.</p><p>“You were?” the blonde grinned. From the very moment she’d laid eyes on the little upstart, her mouth had suddenly felt full. Like her teeth had multiplied and grown sharper. Maybe it was her imagination but her hands felt bigger too. As if talons had emerged from her fingertips. She looked to check. No. Normal hands, normal nails. So, she wasn’t turning into an animal. She just felt like one.</p><p>“Gotta say Natsu, if I knew you liked em young. I would’ve tried a lot earlier.” She smirked back at the smirking child. Not even sparing her mate a glance.</p><p>“As for you, <strong>little girl</strong>,” Lucy stepped into the child’s space using her inch and half greater height to loom over her, “I’m not in a particularly friendly mood today. You see, I came here to talk to that man over there about something so immensely important that your little toddler mind cannot even comprehend.” She kept her voice pleasant but couldn’t help the dark tone from bleeding in. “You are light years away from challenging me, kid, and I’m not feeling kind at all today. So, unless you want me string you up by your underdeveloped, underfed, presumptuous ass, you will leave here and you won’t even look at Natsu again in my presence.”</p><p>Her magic filtered out in a great pressure causing her keys to glow brightly by her side and she suspected she looked feral. Because the red head nodded in sharp jerks and promptly hightailed it out of there. Not even stealing a peek at Natsu. Good. She was a quick learner.</p><p>“Now,” she breathed out, “Natsu we need to talk. And you need to stop hiding shit from me. Because I’ve had it up to here with your bullshit.” She pushed pass the still shocked mage and stomped across the doorway into the house.</p><hr/><p> </p><p>Natsu and Happy’s little house was surprisingly neat. The floors were a glossy cherry wood presumably cut from the surrounding forest and the walls were splashed in an amateur honey yellow paintjob. Little knick knacks were haphazardly strewn across the entry hall but it made for an adorable hodge podge look befitting of the duo. To the left were three doors two of which Lucy assumed led to the kitchen and bedroom. Though based on the futon still unrolled in the far-right corner beside the couch, Natsu spent most, if not all, of his nights outside of his chambers.</p><p>The blonde helped herself to a seat in the little dining area set aside from the living room only by a miniscule gap and the difference in furniture. Only two chairs were at the table. Seeing as she took one, the assumption was that Natsu would the other. Unsurprisingly, he chose to remain standing, a safe distance away from her, leaning, arms crossed in machoness, against the kitchen entrance. She chose not to get upset at that. His intentions however misguidedly noble they were, were still misguided but she would allow him this fairytale that a mere six feet from her could stop him from wanting to jump her bones right there on the floor.</p><p>The celestial mage sat in silence. Her air and poise gave the impression of a brave woman but she was really just coming down from the high of power and anger that had flared up in response to the presence of a girl -for she was not a woman- in her mate’s personal space. However unaccounted for they were, these emotions would help her through this ordeal.</p><p>“Natsu,” the pinkette started at that. Perched coolly against the doorway as he was, her voice almost startled him face first into the wall.</p><p>The blonde bit down on her lip harshly, swallowing the puerile little giggle threatening to spill from her mouth. That wouldn’t do. Ten minutes into her inquisition and the façade of brave stoicism she’d put on was ready to crumble in the face of Natsu’s generally adorable disposition.</p><p>“I’m not gonna attack so try not to brain yourself okay?” He blushed sweetly and scratched at his cheek.</p><p>“Yeah. So, what’d you wanna know?” He sighed in resignation. At least she wouldn’t have to fight with him on this front.</p><p>“Everything you have been hiding. I don’t care about your reasons right now. I just wanna know what’s happening to me. Oh, and you owe me a huge freakin’ apology. ‘Cause based on what I now know, you knew what would happen to me, how I was feeling that night after the party and you still hurt me so deeply and tried to write off my feelings like they were nothing. Like I was nothing. Just a passing fascination and not your goddamn mate!”</p><p>By the end of her lashing, Lucy was breathing hard, sweating even, and Natsu looked like an abused, disowned puppy. Sad and distressed. She’d known she was angry, but the torrent of words just flowed over like a pit boiling magma. Like they would burn off her tongue and settle uncomfortably alongside the heat in her belly if she didn’t expel them. So, she did, and really felt, for the first time in a week, the hurt that Natsu had inflicted that night.</p><p>She suddenly realized that the girls had been over that entire time. They were under the guise of teaching her seduction skills -which she fully intended to use- but really it seemed like they were standing guard now. Between herself and her own anger and despair. The awareness of this fact made her lips wobble the slightest bit, almost breaking the stern line of her mouth. She could cry about it later and maybe take everyone out for a drink ‘cause that was some real reward-earning loyalty right there. But right now, she had a stubborn dragon slayer to chew out.</p><p>“Luce, I-I didn’t…” she rose a carefully plucked and arched eyebrow daring him to mislead or claim ignorance. And his words fell out soundlessly in response.</p><p>“I’m still waiting Natsu,” she tried to sound harsh but ended up with a mix of hurt and angry.</p><p>“I’m so sorry I hurt you.” Head lowered, the man took a seat across from her and sighed heavily. “Dragons and ergo dragon slayers, have a mating season, a heat kinda.”</p><p>Finally, some real information out of his mouth!</p><p>“When we hit puberty, we enter this… season. Could be anytime of year really but for me as Igneel’s son I should’ve hit puberty the day I met you.”</p><p>Well, Levy didn’t know about <em>that</em>, did she?</p><p>“What?”</p><p>He sighed and began mumbling like a pouty child.</p><p>She grabbed his chin with the intention of making him look up and speak directly, but quickly realized her mistake in touching him. Like a button had been pushed, Natsu’s eyes narrowed into slits like one of those large cats from the east. His nostrils flared and she took a minute to make the connection between that and the sudden dampness between her legs. Neither one knew which was the catalyst for which. But it didn’t matter, because as much as she wanted grab him by those unruly pink locks and ride him like a bull, that couldn’t happen until they talked.</p><p>Seemed the dragon slayer had other plans though. The man rolled out of his chair like the aforementioned feline and fell by her feet, placing an almost reverent hand on her bare ankle. Lucy didn’t know her ankle could be an erogenous spot, but the touch made her sigh shakily and her arousal took a great leap upwards once more.</p><p>But he didn’t go any further. Just sat there on his knees caressing her ankle the way she wanted him to caress all of her body.</p><p>“Igneel was the king of the fire dragons, the strongest of dragon kind. As a rule of genetics or something, his power wouldn’t allow him to hit puberty and have a heat until his mate was found. I mean it made sense. Imagine the strongest of all the born dragons out of his mind with lust. His power could level Fiore in minutes. And that power was transferred to me.”</p><p>Understanding flickered in her skull, but she would allow him his explanation uninterrupted.</p><p>“But I didn’t enter real draconic puberty when we met. And that’s because you weren’t ready. Physically or mentally. I couldn’t just introduce myself as the man you were meant to be with for the rest of your life, you probably would have relocated my balls to my throat.”</p><p>She couldn’t help the laugh this time. How accurate a thing to say. And Natsu seemed to agree with that with a sharp, toothy smile. A very toothy smile. Like a dangerous predator. Small shivers shook her slightly.</p><p>“By the time you were ready, my… desires had shifted. They were darker and felt unnatural. I only found out a few years ago, why.” This memory or feeling seemed to pain him so Lucy raised a not well thought out hand to card through his hair.</p><p>He continued, “Apparently magic from my demonic self, E.N.D, was clashing with the dragon slayer magic. So I still wanted you as a mate but I probably would’ve hurt you when I did have you. You have to understand, Luce, consent wasn’t given in these fantasies. I took things from you, made you bleed and cry.” As if to prove his point, his hand tightened around her ankle painfully. “It was terrible, and it broke my heart every time. I wanted to seriously hurt you and I’d die if I did so I focused on the platonic parts of our bond. Those thoughts got a lot nicer when you rewrote the book of E.N.D. But they weren’t completely nice, so I really don’t know if it’s still demonic influence of just weird shit I’m into, but I wasn’t willing to find out if it was.”</p><p>He wearily rested his head on her knees and the heat of his skin against hers felt so friggin delightful, they both gave a gratified sigh.</p><p>Natsu remained silent for a long time, so she assumed that was as much as he would divulge for today. They were both emotionally exhausted and though she wasn’t done punishing him, she decided to let it go for now. Lucy wasn’t the type to hold a grudge for long anyway.</p><p>“They still aren’t very nice things,” she said, and blushed because the words from <em>that night</em> suddenly popped up in her head and her thighs got even slicker. “The things you’re into,” she clarified, “But passion often isn’t nice, Natsu. It’s wild and uncontainable but filled with love all the same.”</p><p>She allowed her thighs to part just slightly under his head, knowing that the scent of her excitement would be even clearer at this distance. “But when I think of my dragon doing all those dirty, bad things to me, I get so hot and my body loses control. And I don’t have any demons in my heritage as far as I know. So, I guess… I guess your mate is just a really dirty woman. Makes sense you’d be a really dirty man don’t you think?”</p><p>He raised his head and looked up at her with something akin to awe shining in his eyes. There may have been a few unshed tears in the mix as well.</p><p>His fingertips skimmed over her bare calves under the dress. Unable to not touch her in some way.</p><p>“Lucy… I’m so sorry.”</p><p>She hummed in consideration and balled her fists in the fabric resting on her knees, slowly dragging up the hem of her dress. “I still haven’t forgiven you,” at some point her breathing had picked up while her hem was on its way to midthigh, “But you have the rest of our lives to fix that. Because we’re friends, family and soon… we’ll be mates too.”</p><p>“Lucy, I love you.”</p><p>She grinned and dove down to tackle him onto his back.</p><p>“You better. Afterall, you’re mine.”</p><p> </p><p> </p>
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